


Seven

by TariSilmarwen



Category: Teen Titans (Animated Series)
Genre: All Kinds of Fluff, And angst, Angst, Angst and Hurt/Comfort, Beast Boy ships it, Cross-Posted on FanFiction.Net, Cross-Posted on Tumblr, Cyborg ships it, Domestic Fluff, F/M, Fluff, NSFW Chapters, Prompt Fic, Prompt Fill, Raven ships it, Romantic Fluff, genre runs the gamut, robin being a complete dork, you got pretty much everything here
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-12-04
Updated: 2020-07-14
Packaged: 2021-02-26 03:34:15
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Underage
Chapters: 42
Words: 50,042
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21666751
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TariSilmarwen/pseuds/TariSilmarwen
Summary: Collected prompt fills for RobStar Week, years 2015 and onward.  Now updated with 2020's prompts.
Relationships: Dick Grayson/Koriand'r
Comments: 11
Kudos: 95





	1. RobStar Week 2015, Day 1 - Circus

**Author's Note:**

> What it says on the tin peeps. You want RobStar, you get RobStar, in all flavors!
> 
> Most chapters are fluff but you'll get the occasional angst as well. Also some chapters are NSFWish. There's only one NSFWish chapter that skirts on explicit, most of them are just fairly suggestive. I will let you know beforehand which ones those are, if smut be not to your tastes.
> 
> With all that said, please enjoy!

A pale gray trunk stretched out, curiously probing. Starfire shied a little, retreating back into the nook of Robin's arm.

He chuckled. "It's all right, Starfire. He won't hurt you," he assured her. He urged her forward again, gently, taking hold of her wrist to guide her hand towards the elephant's wrinkled head.

Eyes widening with wonder, Starfire let him place her palm on the gentle giant's nose. The texture of its skin was wrinkled and leathery and dry, like the hard-shelled Rizzop fruits from her homeworld, not slimy like she had feared, and she felt herself relaxing a little. Softly, she began stroking her hand down the creature's trunk.

The snake-like appendage curled happily around her arm at that, the elephant giving a short little sparkly trumpet noise.

Robin grinned. "I think he likes you."

Starfire giggled with delight, playfully wrestling with the elephant for her arm back. She glanced over towards the keeper. "What is his name again?" she asked.

"Zakia. Zak for short," replied the keeper, petting the elephant's side proudly. "Been with this here fine road show nigh on seven years now."

"Will he be in the performance tonight?"

"Nah," shrugged the keeper, shaking his head. "It's his night off tonight. That's why he's out here socializin' with all the fine ladies," he said with a wink.

"Speaking of," Robin said, after a quick glance at his communicator. "It'll be starting soon." He took Starfire's hand with a smile. "C'mon Star, let's make sure we get good seats."

He led her away, and she waited until they were out of hearing range of the keeper before leaning towards him with a concerned look.

"Are you sure you will be okay?" she asked in a whisper.

In truth the familiar circus stimuli all around them was near overpowering. The soft bellow of elephants, the impatient tramping of horses' hooves, the honk of clown props being tested. The smell of hay, and dirt, and animal sweat, mingled with the sweet scent of buttered popcorn and cotton candy. The bright, low-hanging light strings and streamers and the huge yellow and red tents towering up above their heads. Robin half expected to see someone he knew walking past. Memories pushed at his consciousness. It felt like it would be so easy to let his mind just... drift.

But he shook himself from the haze with a reassuring nod to Starfire. "I'll be fine," he promised. "I wouldn't have brought you here if I didn't think I could handle it."

The Tamaranian princess seemed satisfied with his answer, looping her arm around his. "Very well then. Oh!" she cried, spotting a booth of table souvenirs. Dozens of glow sticks and keychains and light-up whirligigs spinning merrily littered the little fold-up cardtable. Tugging at Robin's elbow, she turned excited eyes to him. "May we partake?" she enthused.

He nodded, his heart warming with affection at her excitement and childlike sincerity. "Of course," he laughed, letting her drag him over to the table.

-TT-

Starfire covered her mouth to stifle her laughter, jangling the half-dozen glow bracelets that now adorned her wrists. (Robin had not been able to resist buying her one of each color, privately delighting in the way her eyes lit up each time a stick was broken and the rush of neon color filled the little plastic tubes.) There was a palpable pause of pregnant tension, as the audience silently leaned forward, waiting to see what was coming next.

"UWAAAAACK!"

With an explosion of white bubbly foam and a comical scream from the fat, blue-haired clown in the stylized plumber's suit, the oversized pipe prop burst open, covering the area with its spray.

Starfire giggled so hard her sides shook, watching the geyser of foam spew up and bubble all over the stage.

Applause and cheers and laughter burst out, as the clown picked himself up from his self-made pratfall, standing up proudly before sweeping his hat off and taking a bow.

Robin clapped politely, shaking the bag of jumbo popcorn in his lap a bit. He paused to put it down on the seat beside him so it wouldn't spill, glancing at Starfire all the while. The look on her face was wonderful, awe and amusement mingling into an expression of pure joy. He almost sighed himself seeing her so happy. She was just that infectious.

"And now!" came the booming voice of the ringmaster, as techs and stage hands rushed to quickly usher the props off the stage and sweep away the bubbles. "Please turn your attention up towards the top of the tent for a special performance by our very own acrobat troop!"

All eyes swept up to the high platform where a group of brightly-dressed performers were waving cheerfully, the spotlights casting long shadows behind them.  
"Ladies and gentlemen, boys and girls, put your hands together for the Barkley Brothers' Wicked Whirling Dervishes!"

She felt Robin tense before she saw him, out of the corner of her eye. Starfire turned her head towards him, worried. His shoulders were tight, his eyes fixed on the platforms, on the strings and wires the acrobats were now strapping themselves in with. His breath had hitched. She saw his eyes dart down to see the safety net the techs were stretching over the floor and that, she noted with relief, seemed to calm him.

She reached out a hand and placed it over his anyways, squeezing gently.

He didn't react at first, lost somewhere in his own mind, or just about.

"Robin?" she called.

He came out of it and managed a smile for her as he met her eyes. "Just checking," he said.

She nodded in understanding, her worry abating as Robin relaxed back into his seat.

She watched him periodically throughout the act, as the acrobats twisted and spun and backflipped in the air between trapezes, but Robin showed no further signs of distress. So she too let herself be drawn in by the performance, immersed in the daring stunts and graceful movements.

Robin surprised her towards the end, when he leaned in and whispered in her ear. "They're going for a switch-off," he told her. "See how they're building up momentum? They're going to trade trapezes." He had the same interested tone he used when he explained things about Earth culture to her.

Starfire glanced between both acrobats, sizing up the distance between them with her eyes. "Oh," she breathed. "That seems... difficult. Won't they collide?" she asked.

He grinned. "Watch," he said.

The two performers swung around their respective trapezes one final time. When they let go, it looked like the most natural thing in the world. One passed over the other's head with a rolling flip that made her gasp.

And then in an instant they were on the trapezes again, their stunt finished and perfectly executed.

The tent broke out in cheers and excited shouts, and Starfire gasped in amazement, clapping her hands furiously. Beaming widely, the acrobats had soon dropped to the safety of the net below and took their bows once they slid off of it.

Robin eased an arm around Starfire, pulling her against his side. She nestled into him quite comfortably, as the next act came to take the stage.

He could still hear the echos in his mind, audio file memories playing in his head and mingling with the noise of the circus, becoming a blur in his ears. He had to concentrate to keep himself from seeing images too, from imagining that he was down there on the stage with the acrobats, preparing to go up on the high wires with them, only with different faces superimposed over their heads.

He closed his eyes, calling upon his training to clear his mind and banish the figments. A melancholy settled into him as fond memories played out in his head. This place... well, maybe not this place specifically, but the general atmosphere... it brought everything back. Not always in ways he enjoyed. Pain had been found here. He hadn't ever understood why Bruce would deliberately return to the alley where his parents were shot year after year, revisiting the pain, reliving the moment. Not at first.

Starfire's hair tickled his skin as she turned her face up to him, seemingly sensing the distance of his mind.

He just pulled her closer, rubbing her arm, taking in the comforting scent of her floral shampoo, which reminded him of warm nights in the trailer, soft fingers in his hair, rocking to sleep after his bath in their favorite chair.

Pain had been found here, yes. But also love. And love, he thought, pressing a kiss to Starfire's forehead, was well worth it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I have a not-so-secret low-level headcanon that Robin has mild to moderate undiagnosed PTSD from the death of his parents among other things and dammit the image of Starfire cuddling with an elephant would _not_ leave my head.


	2. RobStar Week 2015, Day 2 - Meeting Batman

Robin hesitated a moment in front of the steel door. His raised hand faltered, almost falling back to his side. With some trepidation, he braced himself and pushed open the door.

The salty sea breeze hit his face almost immediately, rustling through his hair. The same breeze caught the edges of a familiar black cowl, swirling the hem around the man's legs before it died down again.

"You're late," came the brusque greeting.

The corner of Robin's mouth twisted. "Nice to see you too, Bruce," he snarked. _Had he seriously expected me up here in exactly two minutes?_ "Cyborg and Beast Boy held me up." He waved a hand. "Don't worry, they don't know you're here. Somehow," he added, peering curiously at his mentor. It shouldn't surprise him that Batman had managed to scale to the Tower's roof without detection from the security systems (and apparently without using the Batplane at that) but for some reason it just bugged him. He'd have to have a talk with Cyborg later about revamping them.

Pushing aside his annoyance at how easy it had been for Batman to breach the Tower's security, he cleared his throat, folding his arms over his chest.

"So what's this about? Joker escape from Arkham and go on the road again?" he asked.

"Nothing like that," Batman said. "We just needed to have a talk."

_Uh-oh._

Robin felt a splinter of unease creep down his spine. It couldn't be good that Batman had crossed the whole of the country from Gotham to Jump and just wanted to "talk".

By which he probably really meant _explain._

Robin braced himself for the worst, wondering what he had done this time. "About...?" he prompted hesitantly.

Batman's expression was undreadable, but there was a vague tone in his voice that suggested he was aggravated. "What exactly happened when you were in Tokyo?" he demanded.

A sharp jolt of panic passed through him and Robin tried not to let it show. He quickly flipped through the list of things Batman could be mad about regarding Tokyo. Was it his running afoul of the law there? That would be hypocritical considering Batman himself rarely answered to foreign law enforcement. Was it killing Saico-Tek? But he hadn't actually killed him and surely Batman wouldn't blame Robin for being unfairly framed by the real villain.

...Did Batman know about his dating Starfire?

"Uh... A lot actually," Robin said with a grimace, finally answering his mentor. One hand drifted up to scratch nervously behind his neck. "What specifically did you want explained?"

In reply, Batman pulled a folded newspaper section out from under his cowl, and deftly tossed it to him.

"Page 37, Global News, first article."

Robin caught it with shaky fingers, and nervously flipped to the page in question. A large color photograph of the medal ceremony with the mayor greeted him, a side-inset picture particularly closing on his hand intertwined with Starfire's. The headline read, **"Spotted in Japan!"** and under that, **"Jump City's favorite teen heroes take some time off in the land of the rising sun for heroics—and romance?"**

He already knew. Of course he did.

Feeling himself flush lightly, Robin lowered the paper, rubbing his head awkwardly. "I, uh... I meant... to tell you about that..." he stammered.

"So you two _are_ dating."

Robin bristled at the accusatory inflection in Batman's voice. A dozen justifications were already on his tongue. His shoulders tensed defensively and he dropped the paper off to the side.

"Look, if you're going to give me the whole, 'Having emotional attachments gives your enemies a weakness to exploit.' lecture, you can save it," he snapped. "I've given it to myself plenty of times already, and I've decided I don't care." Robin paused, taking a breath and forcing himself to calm down. Much quieter, he continued, "I'm not like you, Bruce. I can't do the whole 'push her away to keep her out of danger' thing. I've tried. But I just..."

He trailed off with a helpless sigh. A faint red blush colored his cheeks.

"...I like her," he admitted softly.

The Dark Knight said nothing in response.

Robin shook himself and cleared his throat. "Besides," he added, "she was already in danger just being my friend."

For a long moment, Batman just looked at Robin. Then he gave a tired exhale.

"I'm not going to lecture you," he said. Blank white eyes turned up to him, expression reserved. "But I have some... concerns," he told the boy.

"Like what?" Robin asked, mildly relieved he wasn't going to be read the riot act.

"Does she know?"

And there went his feeling of relief.

"Uh..." He didn't have to ask what Batman meant. There was only one big secret he had kept from the Titans. _Used_ to have kept. He tried to keep his voice from cracking. "No, not yet," he lied.

Bruce immediately pinned him with a Bat-Glare.

"Yes. Yes, she knows. They all know," Robin admitted immediately, his shoulders slumping in defeat.

"When did you tell them?" the Dark Knight questioned.

"Last year, when we were on the road, chasing the Brotherhood," Robin replied, finding the rooftop under his boot exceptionally interesting.

There was a bit of a growl in Batman's voice as he said, "When were you planning to tell _me?_ "

Robin winced, his face screwing up with embarrassment. "I was kind of hoping never?"

Batman's demeanor softened a little. "I'm not angry. They're your teammates. If you can't trust them, you can't trust anyone. I understand." His mouth furrowed slightly. "But I would have preferred you talk to me before deciding to entrust them with that knowledge."

The furrow deepened.

"And before deciding to publicly date an alien," he muttered.

"You don't approve of her, do you?" Robin guessed.

"That remains to be seen," the man dismissed. He fell silent a long moment and then, to Robin's surpise, began to look uncomfortable. One black gloved hand raised from under the cowl. "Is she...?" he started, then trailed off awkwardly. "Are you...?" he tried again.

Robin stared. Was Batman actually _embarrassed?_

Finally seeming to find his words, the Dark Knight asked, "Have you been... intimate... at all or..." The man's face squinched as he finished. "...physically copulating?"

"Physically— _What?!_ " Robin cried, his eyes widening in horror. He turned full-face red and waved his hands wildly, sputtering. "I—No! No, I—we've never—I just—we haven't even—" He took a deep breath, getting ahold of himself, then looked at Batman incredulously. "Why would you even _think_ that?!"

The ghost of a smile tweaked his lips. "I was a teenager once too, Dick, as hard as that may be to believe."

The man fell silent again, growing somber. Robin rubbed his face, willing his color to fade to normal. Batman was a still black statue for a while, motionless and saying nothing until, softly...

"Does she make you happy?"

Robin met his mentor's gaze, all serious. "More than anyone," he murmured reverently.

Batman nodded, acknowledging Robin's words.

An awkward moment passed.

"Would... you like to meet her?" Robin offered hesitantly.

The man considered it a moment, then said, "All right. Bring her up."

Robin darted for the door almost immediately, a lightness in his steps that Bruce couldn't fail to notice. His protégé returned a few moments later, nudging the door open with his toe, hand-in-hand with Starfire. The girl looked curiously at him with her wide-set alien eyes, her fingers comfortably curled around Robin's.

The boy led her up to him, stopping a few paces away and clearing his throat. He gestured at his girlfriend. "This is Starfire." Then from her to Batman. "Starfire, meet my mentor."

Her head tilted. "You are The Batman, correct?" she asked.

 _The_ Batman. Bruce had to admit he liked the way that sounded. Capital "The" Batman. If nothing else, the girl certainly had a healthy respect for his title.

Maybe he _could_ persuade himself to like her.

"That's right," he confirmed.

The girl beamed. She seemed pleased to see him. Another point in her favor.

"You have raised your adopted _bumgorf_ very well!" she complimented. "He is a fine young man. You should be quite proud," she said.

Batman turned his eyes on Robin. Affection shone on his face, masked but unmistakable, and his voice turned soft as he said warmly:

"I am."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think out of all the 2015 prompts, this one was my favorite to do. Bringing Batman into the TTverse is just always fun, especially when he can just play Exasperated Dad to Robin's shenanigans.


	3. RobStar Week 2015, Day 3 - Naughty

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Aaand this be the first of the NSFWish chapters, for obvious reasons. Come on, with a prompt like "Naughty" how could I not be expected to roll with it?
> 
> Takes place about a year after Trouble in Tokyo so Robin and Starfire are about 17/18 in this.

"Okay, you see the icon on the desktop with the shield symbol? That's their criminal database," Robin instructed.

"Gotcha. Uploading the list right now," came Cyborg's voice, slightly distorted through the static on the line. "Anything else you want me to do while I'm here?"

Robin sat back in his chair, scanning down his mental list of things left to do for the new Titan Tower. "I think all that's left is to connect the Tower to the secured Titans network."

"Right. Let's do that then."

The Boy Wonder raised his arms over his head, stretching out the kinks before settling back into his seat. The pale blue computer light washed his face with a weak glow. He glanced briefly at the desktop clock, noting the late hour and resolving to turn in once all this was finished.

As he pulled up the program to access the Tower's secured communications network, he didn't notice the door swishing open, nor the soft footfalls of bare feet as they crossed the room towards him.

"Got it pulled up," said Cyborg. "Read me off the encryption code?"

Robin clicked the mouse a few times, then started doing so. "It's three seven eight dash alpha zero beta dash—"

Feminine arms suddenly draped around his shoulders from behind. Robin felt the tickle of long hair against his cheek—long red hair, he noticed with a glance—and then Starfire's voice was breathing in his ear, low and sultry.

_"Hello Robin."_

Robin's brain activity completely ceased for a moment. He sat there, dumbfounded, for a few seconds.

"Zero beta dash?" prompted Cyborg, when Robin failed to continue speaking. "And next?"

Shaking himself from the stupor, he tried to rattle out the rest of the encryption code. "Uh, foxtrot seven seven three beta—"

"Do you know what I am wearing right now?" Starfire interrupted again, her lips so close to his ear he could feel the warmth of her breath, smell a trace of mint from her toothpaste.

Robin's detective side kicked in automatically, before he could tell himself to focus, and quickly noticed Starfire's bare arms—resting comfortably around him—the feeling of soft cotton fabric brushing his neck, the empty air sensation around her legs.

He gulped. It looked as though Starfire was wearing one of his undershirts.

And nothing else.

"You there man?" asked Cyborg.

Desperately Robin tried to pull his attention back to the string of letters and numbers on his computer screen.

"—three three gulf india dash delta five two. Access code zero three seven f-five..." Robin's voice trailed off as he felt Starfire nuzzling his face with her nose, pressing wet kisses to his cheek and ear.

"Ignoring me will only force me to physically remove you from this seat," she promised huskily, sliding her hands down his arms and chest.

His hands were shaking on the keyboard. "Star, please..." he whined, wrestling with the impulse to give in. She felt so warm...

"Is that Starfire I hear back there?" came Cyborg's voice. A moment later, incredulous, "Why is she _purring?_ "

The sound of her trills rumbled in his ear and Robin found his mouth going dry, as Starfire pressed herself even closer to him. "Robin..." she moaned, clutching him with her fingers almost desperately. Her voice was a breathless whisper. "Please, my love... I am so... _thirsty_..."

Robin groaned, feeling heat rush to his face and... other places.

"I—I'm going to have to call you back, Cyborg," he managed to stammer out.

There was a distinct tone of disgust in the half-robot's voice as he complained, "Man, you two better keep it in the bedroom this time. I swear, Robin, if you get another nasty-ass mess on _my couch_ I _promise_ you that I will personally take your stupid metal staff and shove it right up your—"

"Goodbye now, Cyborg!" Starfire interrupted with a bright chirrup, reaching over and pushing the button to cut off the line.

Robin shivered at the sudden silence. Starfire wasted no time and dragged him from the chair onto the floor. Her hands reached up to grasp his wrists tightly, pinning them above his head as she straddled him.

"You are all mine now," she purred, leaning down over him, her eyes gleaming

"Yes ma'am," he managed to rasp, moaning a little as Starfire bent down to plant sucking kisses on his neck.

Well, Cyborg would probably kill him, but at least he'd die happy.


	4. RobStar Week 2015, Day 4 - Nightstar

Robin's knees were beginning to ache from where they pressed to the linoleum floor. He tried shifting his position to be more comfortable, poking tiredly at the six-month-old's mouth with the same spoonful of food he'd been trying to get in her for five minutes now.

Her pudgy face screwed up and she deftly, stubbornly, jerked her head away, turning her nose up at the spoon.

The Boy Wonder stifled his frustration, feeling it bunch up in his aching shoulders. "C'mon, Mar'i... eat your peas," he begged. Without enthusiasm he prodded at her cheek again.

"Nuh!" she yelled. Her tiny hand flailed, slapping the spoon away and knocking it from his hand. It dropped to the floor, clattering and spilling peas, sending them rolling across the floor and under her high chair.

Robin dropped his face into his hand with a tired sigh. He rubbed wearily at the bags under his unmasked eyes. "Star? A little help here, please?" he called.

Popping over from the kitchen at once, his wife was much more cheerful, though no less disheveled-looking in her baggy fleece pajama bottoms and wrinkled blue tank top. She took Robin's place beside their daughter's high chair, letting him stand up and stretch out his limbs.

"Come now, little starshine," she said, smiling. "All baby care books say that peas are the good for you." She retrieved the spoon from the floor and dug it into the pile of peas on Mar'i's plate, scooping up a good spoonful. "See how wonderfully green they are? Do they not look tasty?" she gushed.

Mar'i eyed the spoon distrustfully as Starfire brought it towards her, her pupils beginning to glow.

Starfire's smile faltered briefly, but she poked her daughter's mouth with the spoon nevertheless. "Open your mouth sweetie. Please?"

Mar'i gave another howl of discontent, abruptly shooting off an eyebeam that hit Starfire's hand.

"Ow!" She dropped the spoon, scattering more peas across the kitchen. Angrily, she jabbed a stern pointer finger at the toddler. "No! _No!_ We do _not_ do that to mommy!" she scolded furiously.

The baby's indignation disappeared, replaced by warbling eyes and quivering lips. She looked like she might cry.

Starfire sighed, laying her hands and her head flat on the high chair, her momentary burst of irritation fading. In spite of her best efforts, the early hour and her lack of sleep were wearing on her, she hadn't eaten yet herself, and she felt if she could just get Mar'i fed at least _something_ would have been accomplished.

"There must be a way to make this more palatable for you..." she mumbled. She rolled over the dilemma in her brain.

Her head straightened, lighting up with an idea. She bounced to her feet and headed for the fridge.

"Uh, Star?" said Robin, massaging a crick in his neck as he watched her pull open the door and rummage around inside. "What are you—?"

Starfire emerged with a plate of wobbly green Tamaranian jelly. Very carefully she set it down on the high chair's table, next to the peas. She picked up the spoon yet again, dipped it into the peas, and then stabbed it into the jelly.

"Mar'i! Mar'i, look!" she said, waving the spoon in her daughter's face. "It's Sentaran Bug Jelly!"

Mar'i's eyes widened with excitement. She practically bounced in her chair, her hands curling like she wanted to grab the spoon herself. Robin watched in amazement as Starfire popped the spoon into their daughter's mouth, and Mar'i actually swallowed.

She gurgled happily. "Bah!" she babbled.

"You're amazing," Robin blurted out, looking over every inch of tired, bedraggled Starfire like she was the most beautiful thing in the world.

Starfire beamed. "I 'have my moments', as they say," she dismissed modestly.

She frowned, looking down at the plates.

"But we are going to need a lot more jelly."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Baby Mar’iiiiiiiiiiii! :D


	5. RobStar Week 2015, Day 5 - Awkward

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 'nother suggestive chapter. Mostly just Starfire being thirsty again, lol.
> 
> Enjoy!

Despite the range of intelligences within the Titans it had somehow not occurred to them, when Starfire had mentioned that Tamaranians descended from felines, that it was, in fact, possible for her to go into heat.

Beast Boy was the first to notice. He froze in the middle of pouring his bowl of cereal, his nose perking up. He took several confused sniffs, then looked at the alien princess askance.

She didn't seem any different physically. Her hair was a little mussed but that was about it. But there was something in her movements that was just... all kinds of funny. Beast Boy couldn't put his finger on it. She just seemed less... poised? And a little more wild?

Beast Boy backed up to speak an aside to Cyborg. "Dude," he whispered, "is it me or does Starfire seem a little weird today?"

Cyborg ladled his pancakes onto his plate with a confused look at the changeling. "What do you mean?"

"I dunno," Beast Boy shrugged. "She just smells different."

Surreptitiously, Cyborg scanned her over, as she sat down at the table next to Robin and Raven. "Well her adrenal glands are active and I'm reading higher than normal levels of estrogen and endorphins, but other than that she's perfectly healthy."

"Huh," said Beast Boy. He continued to wonder about it as he and Cyborg joined the others at the table, stealing glances at Starfire every so often.

She was leaning into Robin's space in an over-friendly way. The Boy Wonder didn't notice at first, amazingly, going over the printouts of case files on the table in front of him. It wasn't until she was practically in his lap that he jolted, startling back from her, his face turning red.

"Uh, Star?"

"Oh! My apologies!" she squeaked, sliding away at once as though she was completely unaware of what she'd been doing.

Raven glanced up at that, raising an eyebrow, her spoon paused above her oatmeal.

An uncomfortable silence settled over the table. Starfire fidgeted visibly in her seat. Robin had gone back to reading his case files, oblivious to the world, but Cyborg, Raven, and Beast Boy kept glancing up from their food to watch Starfire, distracted.

She wouldn't take her eyes off Robin. She seemed fascinated by everything he did, from shifting a paper on the table to reaching for his mug of coffee. Her hands were clutching the edge of the table tightly, as though restraining herself.

Beast Boy kept nudging Cyborg in the arm, with the half-robot batting away his hands in a "Shh, don't call attention to it." sort of way, even as he scanned the Tamaranian with his own sensors. Rapid heartbeat, hormonal fluctuations, oxytocin level slowly rising... what was going _on_ with her?

The other three Titans quietly exchanged baffled looks, as a moment of palpable tension stretched out.

Then, abruptly, Starfire couldn't hold it in anymore and flung herself across the table, grabbing Robin up by his collar and mashing her lips over his.

"MMNNGH!" he squeaked in surprise, eyes widening.

Starfire gave a mouthy sigh of content, deepening the kiss. Robin was too stunned to do anything. Raven and Beast Boy had matching expressions of disbelief and Cyborg stared incredulously as the alien princess tongued their leader.

"Ohhhhhhhhh-kaaaaaayyyyyy..." he said.

"Told ya she smelled different," muttered Beast Boy. And by different he'd meant _horny_ , he realized.

Gross.

Robin's limp hands regained some life, reached up to cup Starfire's face and embrace her. He moaned into Starfire's mouth.

The other three watched them make out a moment, uncomfortable.

"I'm not hungry anymore," Raven declared, standing up from the table and pulling her hood down.

Cyborg and Beast Boy were quick to join her. They didn't ask about the upturned chairs and splattered food when they returned to the kitchen, hours later, but they couldn't look the two in the eye for a week.

To their embarrassment, neither could Robin and Starfire.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> And then everyone avoids each other for a week until it blows over, lol.


	6. RobStar Week 2015, Day 6 - Haunted

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Went with the obvious route on this prompt. So a little missing scene from "Haunted". Because angst and it's one of my favorite sequences dammit.

Starfire's arms were crossed so tightly they were hurting, and it was agony to keep still. But if she didn't force herself to stay out of Cyborg's way as he sawed valiantly at the thick steel door, she would simply go mad.

Hell, she was already going mad. Images of torn, battered Robin, somewhere out in the Tower-alone, terrified, hurting himself-flashed constantly through her mind.

She wanted to pace. To scream. Something.

From the corner where she levitated, Raven suddenly gasped, her head shooting up. "Robin!" she cried.

Starfire rushed over, feeling her heart spike into her throat. Her frightened eyes were already asking the question.

_What is it, Raven? What has happened?_

"I can feel him..." Raven breathed. "He's not going to make it!"

She felt panic take hold of her. It turned her limbs to ice. She was immobilized with it.

_No..._

They were taking too long. Robin's heart would give out before they could reach him. He would kill himself. He would _die_.

The panic vanished a second later.

She had to save him.

An eerie calm and determination gripped her heart, wresting her from inaction. She furrowed her brows, frowning, feeling strength well up inside her. She could see the room around her, the panels over the doors and windows, the inches thick floor, the layers of steel meant to trap her in... and knew in that moment that they couldn't hold her.

She eyed the floor below. That was her exit. Cyborg wouldn't be happy about it, but she didn't care.

"Then let us end this battle... _now!_ " she growled.

She punched her hands into the floor, fingers gripping handfuls of steel, nails sinking into metal, and heaved.

The floor pulled away all too easily, like so much tissue paper. Starfire barely needed to expend herself. She wasted no time and dove through the hole, dropping into the hallway below and already flying towards the stairwell.

"He's in the basement!" she could hear Raven shouting to her from behind. "Starfire, wait!"

She didn't wait. She couldn't.

She searched frantically, never stopping, never slowing down for a moment. The dark hallways passed by in a blur. A closed door was coming up rapidly; she starbolted it open, slamming it against the far wall with a bang.

Almost there.

She could feel the others on her heels. Lower and lower they rushed through the Tower, Starfire praying all the while not to be too late, to find him in time. She didn't know quite yet what she'd do when she found him. Restrain him in her arms, hold him still while Cyborg sedated him maybe? Beg him to stop, to see reason, to come to his senses?

The door to the basement was just up ahead. A light was on inside. Starfire increased speed, zooming through the open door like a flash of red and purple lightning. She came to a halt in the air, searching frantically.

He was below her, propped up on a support beam. His head was down, his body limp, but he was standing. Not yet dead.

"Robin!" she cried, dropping to him at once, at once relieved and terrified upon seeing him.

He did something unexpected then. He looked up at her, tired smile on his face, and said, "It's okay, Starfire."

Bewildered, her eyes widened, and she slowed in the air. She landed on her feet just in time for him to pitch forward into her arms, whispering one last breathless, "It's okay..."

She caught him.

He felt light, so light, in her arms. She could feel the tears in his uniform. He was slack and he was still. He didn't seem to be conscious.

But... he was breathing.

Starfire looked worriedly at him, then glanced up towards the stairwell where the others were, unspoken questions in their expressions.

She looked back down at Robin, unsure what to do. Gently, she turned him over in her arms. His face looked calm. His chest moved softly. Like he was sleeping.

"Is he...?" called Cyborg from above.

"He's alive," breathed Raven, exhaling in relief.

Starfire gingerly slipped a hand under his legs. Lifting him up, she softly rose from the floor, drifting up and over the stairwell railing and then settling back down again by her friends. They made room on the landing for her and her precious cargo.

She extended her arms slightly, looking at Cyborg, a silent plea to check Robin over.

Cyborg complied, bringing up a medical scanner on his arm computer. For a couple moments he just tapped the screen, changing the display. The other two crowded around him, Beast Boy craning around the half-robot for a glimpse at the screen.

"His heartrate's normal... breathing at an even rate..." Cyborg relayed. "Blood pressure's a little elevated but slowly dropping..."

He finished up, dismissing the computer with the press of a button, and smiled at her.

"He's going to be okay."

Starfire let out a shuddering breath, something breaking inside her. She leaned over Robin, falling to her knees weakly, clutching him close. "Thank X'hal... Thank X'hal..." was all she could say, as she craddled his head to her chest.

The other Titans gave her a moment. Shortly, the alien princess regained her composure, blinking away the tears leaking from her eyes and gathering Robin up into her arms once again.

"Let—let us get him back upstairs," she said.

They nodded, and one by one turned to file out the door.


	7. RobStar Week 2015, Day 7 - Proposal

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I used this one to indulge my Shipper On Deck Raven headcanon. (Namely that she loves it when Robin and Starfire are being cutesy at each other because it sends out positive empathic vibes.)
> 
> We all know she's a romantic deep at heart.

"You seen Robin anywhere?" asked Beast Boy, poking his head in the door.

Raven flipped her book to the next page, glancing up briefly before returning her eyes to the text. "He took Starfire up to the roof with him about two or three minutes ago," she answered.

"Oh good!" said Beast Boy, stepping in and crossing over to the couch at once. "Then he's not here to yell at me for playing Ninja Meltdown instead of adding my notes to the report on the fight with Cinderblock."

"Wasn't that supposed to be done last week?" Raven questioned, raising an eyebrow as Beast Boy grabbed a controller and flipped on the TV.

"I'm getting around to it," the changeling dismissed with a shrug. "I just..." He shrunk into his shoulders a little. "...haven't figured out a way to say, 'And then he grabbed me by the tail and punted me like a shot put through three separate car windows.' without it sounding totally embarrassing and lame."

Beast Boy brought up the game menu, but then paused, his fingers hovering over the buttons. He turned around in his seat, slinging an arm over the back of the couch.

"Did he seem at all a little high-strung to you?" he asked suddenly. "More than usual I mean?"

"Not particularly. He was nervous and excited when he left with Starfire, but that's about it." Raven glanced up from her book quizzically. "Why do you ask?"

The changeling shrugged again. "He had something in his hands when I walked in on him in the evidence room and he got really snippy about me seeing it. That's all."

Raven rolled her eyes. "Robin keeping secrets. What else is new?" she snorted.

A comfortable silence fell between them, then, Beast Boy turning back around and beginning a level on his game. The buttons clicked and popped furiously as electronic punches and kicks sounded from the speakers.

Raven found her attention drifting. She could tune the game out easily enough; that wasn't what was distracting her. It was just... now that Beast Boy had mentioned it Robin _had_ seemed a few shades more jumpy than he normally was. And hiding something in the evidence room from his teammates? Admittedly a bit fishy.

Azar, she hoped he wasn't keeping another Slade lead from them.

Her book dropped a few inches. She bit her lip, her empathic senses already beginning to drift out and loosen from her body.

_Maybe I'll just check in on them..._ she decided, letting her mind drift up towards the roof.

She keened her senses in their direction. They felt fairly normal to her; Starfire a vibrant ball of happiness, Robin his usual jumble of nerves, adoration, and contentment when he was around her. The warm glow of love pulsed around them and Raven leaned into it almost unconsciously.

_Mmm_... she sighed to herself. She loved how they felt when they...

Wait, what was—

Raven dropped her book, falling bodily out of her seat as the sudden rush of joy and elation bowled her over like a physical blow.

Beast Boy gawped at that, shouting something in concern, but she couldn't hear. The rush was dizzying. Overpowering. Like firecrackers inside her head. Sparklers of happiness bounced around her head, igniting parts of her empathic senses she hadn't thought were even accessible. Her eyes were wide. Her breathing heavy. Her whole being felt... buzzed.

"Wow," she breathed, a dazed look on her face.

"Wow what?! What's wow?!" cried Beast Boy, freaking out.

Raven didn't answer, a goofy little grin spreading across her face.

And then, she giggled.

Beast Boy went slack-jawed. Backing away fearfully, he moved away from her chair, and then turned and shouted towards the door.

"CYBORG!"

-TT-

"I feel fine, Cyborg," Raven insisted. "I feel great, in fact."

"Yeah. That's what worries me," he muttered, pressing buttons on his arm with a frown. Raven was staring off vacantly, that silly smile still on her face, and it was seriously the most unnerving thing he'd ever seen.

For Beast Boy too, apparently, as the changeling wouldn't stop cowering behind him.

His diagnostics were interrupted by Robin and Starfire bursting dramatically through the door.

"Friends!" Starfire called, her voice at a fever pitch of excitement, beaming brightly as she held Robin's hand. "I have wonderful news!"

Not even waiting for them to ask, she held aloft her left hand, upon the ring finger of which was small, sparkling band.

"We are the engaged!" she gushed triumphantly.

Forgetting about Raven immediately, Cyborg blurted out, "What?! _No!_ You serious? Really?" and began to flail about all over the place, tears in his eyes. He grabbed Robin into a bear hug, mussing his hair. "Good for you, you little spikey-haired bastard! I knew you had it in you!"

"Th-thanks Cy," Robin croaked slightly breathlessly, attempting to extract himself from the hug and failing.

Beast Boy, meanwhile, glanced from the ring on Starfire's finger to Raven's bedazzled expression.

And then back again.

_"Ohhhhh..."_ he breathed, realizing now what Raven's odd behavior must have been about. _Duh. She's an empath. C'mon Beast Boy, be a little less dense._

The weirdness explained, he relaxed, and turned to Robin and Starfire with a grin.

"Congrats dudes!" he chirped. "That's great to hear! I'm really happy for you."

Starfire giggled and scooped him up for a hug, twirling him around a few times and only putting him back down when she could hear him wheezing for breath. "You seem to be the happy for us as well, Raven!" she noticed, glancing the empath's way.

"Yeah..." Raven drawled, eyes lolling slightly as they came to rest on the two of them. Robin had finally freed himself from Cyborg and came to stand next to his girlfriend-now fiance-and Raven felt her head buzzing all over again as she looked at them.

She pointed a stern finger at them.

"I hope you realize you're not allowed to break up. Ever," she told them.

"I... wasn't planning on it?" Robin said, rubbing the back of his head in confusion.

The grin on Raven's face stretched to a disturbing width. _"Good,"_ she gushed.

And now they were all unnerved again.


	8. RobStar Week 2016, Day 1 - Parents

They stole up to the roof, breathless with laughter.

The blue sky belied the crisp bite of the afternoon wind, drifting up to them from the sea. They sat with their legs dangling over the side, leaned into each other's shoulders comfortably.

Robin told her about Gotham. A casual comment about how bright and modern Jump City was in comparison and an innocent question from a curious Starfire had him talking freely about the architecture—the old historical buildings and the towering WayneTech skyscrapers—the commerce—the shipyards and stock markets, the innumerable banks forever constantly in peril—and they layout—from the richness of the arts district, and the colorful bustle of the Marina, to the rot and decay and filth of the slums, where he and his mentor spent many a long exciting night.

The further out you got from downtown, he explained, the more trees and hills there were. There was a particular wide grassy field on the southside that had a beautiful overlooking view of the city. A picturesque place, perfect for outdoor concerts and local city fairs. It was where Haley's Circus had set up for their two-month stay in Gotham.

Robin described the wonder of seeing the twinkling city for the first time from that field, and Starfire listened, enraptured, captivated by the picture his words painted in her mind. A warmth stirred in her heart as she gazed at him. Had she ever seen him so relaxed before? So at ease?

She was glad he could be so unguarded with her.

"You know," Robin said abruptly, leaning back on his hands. "I think they would have really liked you."

Starfire tilted her head. "Who?" she asked.

He shrugged lightly. "Mom and Dad."

Starfire's insides straightened to attention. A question burned on her tongue, but she was hesitant to ask it. Robin didn't talk about them a lot—his parents. She studied him a moment. If he didn't want to discuss it further, she'd certainly know from his body language. (He would always tense and look wound up, like he could shut himself away at any moment.)

But he looked calm. Comfortable. Not at all tense. Perhaps it would be okay to ask him. After all, ever since the race against Ding Dong Daddy, when he'd revealed the contents of the briefcase—and his identity—to them in a show of trust, he'd been... freer about mentioning them to the others. To her.

Her curiosity won out.

"What were they like?" she asked him.

Robin gave a sad smile. "Dad... liked to whisper in Mom's ear." His voice softened fondly at the memory. "Little things like, 'I love you' or Romani endearments. _'Monisha'_ was his favorite. I think it means 'wife'."

"That is very sweet," Starfire commented, filing the word away in her mind.

"Yeah..." Robin agreed, looking off towards the horizon.

He told her about his dad's cooking, how it was always a treat for the both of them when he tied on the apron and filled their little trailer with enticing smells. He told her about late nights snuggled up to the man's side as he read bedtime stories. He told her of the strength in his arms as he tossed Robin up and caught him again during so many trapeze acts.

He told her about his mother's gentle voice as she sang him to sleep. How she seemed to know everything and answered every question his curious little mind put out, about science, about animals, anything and everything he ever wanted to know. He told her what an amazing seamstress she'd been.

"She made _all_ of our costumes," he said. He pinched a corner of his tunic and continued, "She even made the first version of this design. She always said that I was her little—"

Robin's voice cut off suddenly, a tightness in his throat and moisture stinging his eyes. His eyes turned down. He tried to collect himself for several moments.

Starfire slid her hand across the space between them, until she could gently clasp his fingers in her own. He glanced up at her, helplessly mute, and she offered a warm smile.

Rather than making him continue, she changed the subject.

"My mother was not very good at sewing," she told him. "But she would occasionally string beads together. She made Blackfire and I matching bracelets for our official introduction to the court." She could still remember the cool sensation of the oblong, oddly-shaped rocks around her wrist. Her mother liked to work with only the most "interesting" beads. "I wore mine until the string broke. Blackfire claims she lost hers but—" Here Starfire chuckled. "—I believe she fed it to the Gorga plant the first chance she got. She never liked mother's jewelry."

Robin laughed a little too. "Yeah. Her taste always seemed a lot more _expensive_. And illegal."

Starfire giggled before regaling him further. Beaded jewelry was something her mother had taken from her hometown, in a remote, rural area of Tamaran mostly known and used for mining and quarrying. It was also where a minority group of dark-haired Tamaranians tended to live.

"I am told," she said, twining her fingers with Robin's, "that even though their marriage was arranged as part of a trade pact with the Rusht'iig Clan, that my father caused quite a scandal in the palace when he brought my mother home as his bride."

"Guess if they were still around, they'd have few objections to our relationship, huh?" Robin joked.

"Indeed," Starfire agreed with a smile. "My father would say I was the 'chip off the old block', as you say." Her gaze turned wistful. "Truthfully, I did not know him that well," came her somber confession. "Between his duties in the court and my tutoring, there was very little time for us to see each other. And when the war started he and mother were always busy, in strategy meetings, coordinating relief efforts, helping any way they could..."

She trailed off, long-buried memories of the constant bombings and tense palace atmosphere coming back to her. She pushed them down, shaking her head a little to clear her mind.

"I am... sad that you did not get to meet them," she told Robin, drawing even closer to him and leaning her head on his shoulder. "I believe they would have liked you too."

He let go of her hand in order to wrap his arm around her shoulders. He rubbed her skin softly, letting her hair tickle his neck. There was an ache in his heart. Not just from his old wounds and trauma, but also from a new, sharp, fresh sting of regret at all the things they'd never get to share with their biological families. Bringing her home to dinner, waiting nervously in the wings outside the throne room to be summoned in, surprising them with the news of their first grandchild. He wished Starfire's parents, at least, were still around to see them.

Much as his loss hurt, he felt awful for hers. They had died believing one daughter lost, one a traitor, and their son never to return home again, maybe not even to survive. Starfire hadn't even known they were dead until she'd finally made video contact with Tamaran, months and months after she'd first arrived on Earth. To reach home at last, only to be told that her parents were gone... _Ouch._ He didn't know whether or not the fact that she had siblings made it any better or worse, considering one was a criminal and the other was still missing.

Still, he wouldn't trade having her here, now, by his side, for anything. Her soothing scent and the warmth of her presence made him feel a little better, just a bit.

"I still miss them," he admitted.

"It is okay to miss them," she assured him lightly. "I would be worried if you did not." She straightened, raising her head and touching his cheek softly. "I am just glad you had a _k'norfka_ to rely upon too. I think you would be very... lonely... if he had not stepped in and claimed you."

Robin shuddered to himself, pushing away dark thoughts about his life without Bruce and Alfred. Alone and orphaned in Gotham... not a nice thought.

Now the sting of regret was for how he'd left things between them. Robin felt a bitter taste creep onto his tongue as echoes of their last shouting match caught up to him.

"It wasn't easy. We made a lot of mistakes. He messed up, I messed up, we said things we shouldn't have..." Robin sighed. He was just confessing to a whole slew of feelings today, wasn't he? Starfire's influence on him was stronger than either of them had anticipated... in a good way. It felt almost freeing to say things he usually kept bottled up. Robin rubbed a hand through his hair. "But... Bruce tried his best, and... I'm grateful for it." He shook his head. "I don't know who I'd be without him. I hope he knows that."

"I think he does."

He turned his head to her. "Yeah?"

Her smile was playful, green eyes glinting with a mischievous mirth. "He is the Batman. How could he not know?"

Robin laughed, a wonderful, joyful sound that Starfire could not get enough of. "You'd be surprised, Star," was all he told her before taking her by the shoulders and pulling her in for a kiss that made her tingle from her hair to her toes.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I think this was probably my favorite one to write that year. I just like doing them being all tender and sweet to each other.


	9. RobStar Week 2016, Day 2 - High School

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one would have probably been super easy to just AU and call it a day but I never do anything half-assed and have to make everything ten times longer than it needs to be, apparently, so I wound up sending the Titans undercover to justify the setting and then because I did that I had to have a plot and, well...
> 
> *looks at 2700+ word count*
> 
> Anyway, I was actually really happy with this one when it finished. Read on my dears!

"Beast Boy..." Robin groaned. "If you're not going to eat your food, at least quit picking at it."

The changeling stopped swirling his mystery meatloaf around on his tray and dropped his plastic fork glumly. "Man..." he whined. "I _hate_ Meat Monday! I mean, they even put meat in the salad! Who _does_ that?" He put his head down on his arms. "I'm not gonna make it to last period, guys."

Robin rolled his eyes and, next to him, Starfire giggled. "You're not gonna starve because you skipped lunch," he said sternly, passing him the apple from his own tray. "Here."

Beast Boy lit up, popping up off his arms and eagerly taking the apple. "Thanks dude!" he chirped.

"You could have been Mrs. Whitmore's biology class pet turtle," Robin reminded him.

"Yeah right," snarked Beast Boy, around his munching. "Eating lettuce and getting poked at with sticks for a week before winding up on the dissection table. No thanks."

Now it was Robin's turn to bury his face in his arms. "That's not how it works, Beast Boy," he groaned.

Starfire laid a hand on his shoulder and patted it comfortingly. Robin turned to look in her direction, sporting a tired smile.

The holo ring she sported on her left middle finger hadn't needed to change her much; mostly just toned down the vibrant orange of her skin to a more natural tan and changed her scelera and pupils to a normal human white and black. Her natural Tamaranian beauty still shone through-a fact which the hormonal teenage boys at Dixon Cedar High had not failed to notice.

After the first few attempted hit-ons, Robin had very quickly established himself as Starfire's boyfriend, as part of his own cover story. It seemed to make Starfire more comfortable as well.

Plus it gave them an excuse to be openly affectionate while undercover.

"So has anyone found the guy yet?" Beast Boy complained, tossing the apple core neatly over his shoulder and into the nearby trash can. "Heard any news from Cyborg or Raven?" Despite the Titans' best efforts it was impossible—and suspicious-looking—for them to have all the same scheduled classes together, so at several junction points throughout the day they were split up across the school. Cyborg had the lunch period after them, and Raven had the one before, and none of them shared a single class with Beast Boy, who'd been stuck in the younger grade level.

He'd been very put out by it all.

"I saw Raven in second-period Geometry," Starfire offered before shaking her head. "Thus far she has been unable to sense out our villainous recruiter."

"Well, I've got Biology with her right after this," Robin said. "I'll check in with her again, see if anything new's developed."

"Good," said Beast Boy, leaning back in his seat. "The sooner we find out who's recruiting kids from the new HIVE Academy from here and pop him, the sooner we can get back to our nice, normal, _homework-free_ lives," he emphasized.

"Indeed," Starfire agreed. "This experience has been interesting, but I am very much beginning to miss Silkie," she confessed, eyes pinched with worry.

Robin squeezed her hand. "We'll see him after school," he told her. "Promise."

She beamed. They leaned in together for a kiss, a quick peck or two on the lips.

"Ugh," groaned Beast Boy. "I think you two are even mushier undercover than you are in costume."

-TT-

Robin caught Raven's eyes amid the quiet shuffling of the classroom before the bell rang, and leaned out of his seat towards her.

"Anything?" he asked, keeping his voice just above a whisper.

She nodded, brushing a strand of her holo-ring disguised black hair out of her face. She tilted her head towards a knot of boys in the corner, crowding one desk in particular and joking around.

"Him," she said, pointing out a lanky, brown-haired junior standing casually at the front. "Derrick Miller."

Robin's face puckered and he scowled. " _That_ guy?" Robin had encountered the older student only once before, but already despised him. He'd been one of the first to make a pass at Starfire.

Not even five minutes on the school grounds that first morning and already he was singling her out from the crowd and swaggering in with his combed hair and sly charming smile and his smooth-talk like, "Oh _hello_ Beautiful, you must be _new_. I'd _love_ to show you around the school." She'd been walking fairly close to Robin's side, shadowing the Boy Wonder a little shyly, nervous about their first day, and the wannabe-cassanova had all but physically plucked her from that position, spiriting her almost halfway up the front steps before Robin even noticed she was gone.

Starfire had given him a rather bewildered look from over her shoulder as her "helper" guided her into the building and all Robin had been able to do was stand there, gaping in disbelief.

He narrowed his eyes at the junior, studying him suspiciously.

"Are you sure?" he asked Raven.

"Fairly," she replied. Her eyes flicked to him. "Something wrong?"

Robin shook his head. "It's nothing." He wouldn't have pegged the boy for a supervillain but, now that he thought about it, his smooth-talking charm could be put to very persuasive use in such a career. Still, he had to ask. "What makes you think it's him?"

"The way he observes a room when he enters it," Raven explained, thumbing through their textbook to the relevant section they were covering. "He keeps to the edges. Takes in the whole room. Scans it. It's like he's sizing up the kids. He's good at masking himself, but I can sense nefarious intent whenever he does it."

Robin took a peek from the corner of his eye. Indeed, Derrick Miller seemed to have his gaze on everyone, looking with a little too much interest at a couple students in particular. "You're right."

He checked the clock on the wall. Two minutes before class. The teacher would be walking in any moment now.

Scooting forward in his seat, Robin whispered urgently, "So how do we catch him?"

"Well we know he's attracted to redheads..." Raven drawled, with a little smirk.

Robin frowned. "No," he said firmly.

Raven leaned back in her desk, crossing her arms. "Anyone ever talked to you about your overprotective tendencies?"

"We're _not_ using Starfire to bait him out," Robin repeated. "After what Control Freak put her through last month, we owe her that."

The empath shrugged. "Fair enough." She glanced towards the door, sensing the teacher's approach down the hall, and quickly assumed a studious posture. "We should hurry though; he's been creeping on two kids in particular and I think he might approach them soon."

Robin nodded, turning face forward as the shrill ring of the bell cut through the clamor and the teacher took her place at the front.

-TT-

Starfire tugged at the hem of her skirt as surreptitiously as she could. She had chosen the pleated blue number that morning because it was cute (and it had made Robin braindead for a few wonderful seconds), but it was dangerously close to skirting the acceptable length for the dress code. Raven had kindly warned her about it when she'd seen the girl in second-period and now it was all the self-conscious Starfire could think about.

As she descended the steps to the first floor, though, she spotted Robin waiting at the bottom for her and forgot all about her insecurities. Warmth colored her cheeks as he beamed up at her. She hadn't told him, but she thought he looked very fetching in that black leather jacket. She was hoping he would hang onto it after the end of this mission. (Baggy ripped jeans, a white tee, and a fake stud in his left ear completed the look.)

"Hey," he greeted her, sliding a hand around her waist as they turned down the hall. "How was class?"

Starfire frowned, her brows wrinkling. "Your English grammar is most perplexing," she told him. "I do not understand the purpose of putting the adjective modifier _before_ the noun it describes. And why is the 'i before e' rule so inconsistent?"

Robin chuckled. "English is kind of a hodgepodge language. We took bits and pieces from everything." He nudged her playfully. "You should learn Mandarin sometime. That one will _really_ throw you."

She gave him a sly smile and a coquettish look. "Perhaps I merely require more _in-depth_ study," she breathed, teasing his ear with her flirty whisper.

"Hey now..." he whispered back, pulling his head away slightly. "Careful. They frown on excessive PDA around here."

Starfire was ready with a quip about "private after-school tutoring", but the words died as they came upon a scene of some high tension outside the boys' bathroom. "Oh dear..." she said.

Robin frowned as well, as he beheld the drama.

A small freckle-faced kid, likely a freshman, was cowering against the lockers from a trio of older boys, the largest of which had hold of his collar and was giving him a predatory grin.

"Come on, Marcus," the freshman was pleading. "I missed breakfast today and my mom gets in late on Tuesdays."

"Well that's a shame. But the Marcus Personal Happiness Fund don't pay for itself Freshie. Pony up."

The freshman whimpered pitifully.

Robin glared at the tall junior. Marcus Cole, a school bully so comically two-dimensional that Robin _had_ to wonder if he was a plant from HIVE to soften the kids up before their recruiter swooped in and snagged them. Beast Boy had had an encounter with him their first day, which had probably lent a great deal to the changeling's unfavorable opinions about the mission.

(He was also one of the many boys who had tried to hit on Starfire. Robin hadn't even needed to say anything to that one; Starfire had shut him down _cold._ It was extremely satisfying.)

The Boy Wonder exchanged a glance with Starfire. Undercover or not, they couldn't just let it happen without comment.

"If it starts getting too hairy, I want you to go get a teacher," Robin ordered her softly.

She nodded. "Understood." She looked with some concern at the trio of bullies. "Are you sure you will be able to handle them?" she asked.

He grinned, popping his shoulders casually. "Piece of cake."

They approached, in time to hear Marcus growling, "What's the matter, Freshie? Hard of hearing? I said pay up!"

One of the sidekicks punched a fist into his palm. "Maybe he needs to be taught a lesson."

"Or maybe you should just bug off and leave the kid alone," Robin called, assuming a slouched, hands-in-pockets posture as he and Starfire closed in.

Sidekick #2 groaned loudly. "Oh great. It's the skater punk and his girlfriend."

Marcus turned his head to scowl at them. "Butt out, Grayson."

"Love to," Robin said with a shrug. "But you're blocking my locker. Move."

"Make me, you little punk." Turning to face Robin, the bully released the freshman's collar, and the younger boy very quickly ducked out from the midst of the older trio—despite a clumsy grab from Sidekick #1—and darted behind Starfire. Marcus's eyes flashed with anger. "Hey, our business wasn't finished, pipsqueak!" he snapped, jabbing a finger at the freshman.

Starfire shielded him with her arm, green eyes narrow and dangerous. "It most certainly _is_ ," she said calmly.

Marcus drew himself up to his full, rather intimidating height, one thick arm starting to reach for her, palm flat as if he was going to shove her.

In a blink, Robin had grabbed his arm, twisted the junior around, and slammed him face first into the lockers. His startled yelp attracted the attention of several other students in the hall, who had otherwise been ignoring the whole drama.

Robin let go with a small push and stood back, crossing his arms. "Don't do that again," he warned.

_"You little shit!"_ Marcus recovered quickly from nursing his arm and charged, Sidekicks # 1 and 2 quickly following suit.

Robin ducked a heavy swing, elbowing Marcus in the breadbasket and crumpling him, breathless, to the linoleum floor. Sidekick #2 was a little harder, especially since—in keeping with his cover—Robin held back from using the more fluid and acrobatic forms in his repertoire, keeping to basic, gritty, street brawling. Sidekick #2 had studied at least one such more disciplined form, and it was a struggle for Robin not to respond in kind.

Maybe that was why he didn't notice Sidekick #1's incoming right fist before it socked him—hard—in the cheek.

His ears rang from the blow as he skidded on his shoulder. Momentarily dazed, Robin put up his arms to guard against what was sure to be a follow-up attack.

It wasn't necessary. No sooner had the bully knocked him over than Starfire lunged. Her punch to the stomach earned a loud, "Oof!" and sent the junior flying several impressive feet, to flop limply to the floor by the water fountains, earning Starfire some light applause and a small cheer from the curious onlookers.

Sidekick #2 took one look at his fallen companion, one look at the seemingly tiny Starfire, and then decided to vanish into the boy's bathroom, yanking open the door like he couldn't make it in fast enough.

Chagrined, Starfire knelt to Robin's side. She took firm hold of his arm to help him up.

The Boy Wonder blinked in confusion, seeing Sidekick #1 much farther down the hall than should be possible.

"Are you okay?" Starfire asked him.

"Uh... fine," he said blankly. "Was that...?"

She grimaced sheepishly. "I... may have forgotten to pull my punch a little," she whispered. She turned to the freshman. "And are you uninjured as well?"

He grinned at her. "Thanks to you!" he gushed. "You're a lifesaver, Kory!" He turned to Robin and had to rack his brain a few moments to find the name. "Ricky. See you guys around!" he chirped, hoisting up his backpack and hurrying down the hall to his lunch period.

A few teachers were poking their heads out of their classrooms now, but there was no longer anything to see. Marcus and Sidekick #1 were slowly peeling themselves off the floor, and even the sprinkling of onlookers were beginning to scatter.

But they weren't the only ones observing.

Robin nudged Starfire, drawing her attention to Derrick Miller, leaning against the lockers on the other side of the hall, arms crossed and looking impressed.

"That looks like it hurts, Marcus," he commented from his position. "Maybe you should go see the nurse about that."

"Bugger off, you weasel," Marcus grumbled, but slowly turned to begin limping in that direction, his remaining sidekick following after and holding his stomach.

The two Titans both straightened as Derrick shoved casually off from the lockers and walked up to them.

"Those were some pretty sweet moves you had there, Grayson."

He feigned a nonchalant shrug. "Whatever," he dismissed. "The guy was in my space. Someone had to kick him down a few pegs."

"So you like to pick fights, huh?" probed Derrick.

Behind his back, Robin beckoned for Starfire to join him. As she attached herself to his arm he proceeded cautiously, "Occasionally. When it's inevitable. What's it to you?"

"Ever fought a super before?"

Robin faked a frown. "A super? You mean one of those idiots flying around in capes and tights?"

Starfire could barely hold back her giggle at the self-depreciating joke.

"No love for the supers I see," Derrick commented lightly. "You ever want to kick one of _them_ down a few pegs?" he asked, the charm on full throttle.

Robin narrowed his eyes. Starfire leaned in, getting the hidden microphone in her necklace closer to their conversation.

"What are you offering?" demanded Robin.

Derrick gave a winsome, oily smile and spread his hands. "An opportunity. How'd you like to do a little after-school work?"

Starfire squeezed his hand excitedly and Robin felt a rush of satisfaction flood through him. He darted a glance at Starfire, hiding his grin behind an impassive poker face that would've made Raven proud.

They had him.

"Keep talking..." he urged, pulling Starfire into the crook of his arm affectionately.


	10. RobStar Week 2016, Day 3 - War

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Super short, but I always love any time I get to write Robin and Starfire being Battle Couple and this prompt was a perfect opportunity.
> 
> Enjoy!

The sharp prongs of a trident whooshed past him as he dodged, sidestepping out of the way of the Gordanian's wild stab. Robin began to turn, but his opponent was already felled, a hot, bright green beam burning the air over his head and pinning the alien straight in the chest.

They had no respite; the next wave was already upon them. Robin hopped lightly over the rubble and debris littering the street as he and Starfire closed in. Behind them they could hear the buzz of Cyborg's sonic cannon, the flurry of arrows from Speedy's bow, and a bellow from Gnarrk as he smashed the crystallized Kole into a heavy scaled body.

The incursion had come on suddenly. The sunlit blue sky had abruptly dimmed with dozens and dozens of angular golden ships, much the like the one that had appeared over the city the first time the Titans had met.

He had determined they wouldn't take her then. He was determined they wouldn't take her now.

The attack was huge. Much larger than they could handle alone. A quick call across the network, a sounding to arms and battle, had summoned their reinforcements. The flyers had taken to the sky, hitting the crafts in the engines, the steering, downing them all until they filled the bay.

He hadn't wanted her to go with them at first, hadn't wanted her anywhere near the vile creatures responsible for causing her so much pain and heartache, but Starfire was determined to play her part, and he wouldn't insult her warrior's pride by insisting she stay grounded.

Now, she fought at his side, the two of them at the head of the line, right in the thick of things. His staff was a blur of metal. Her starbolts flared and popped, lighting up the pier with burning green. They moved in sync, each one finding their perfect rhythm, flowing gracefully around each other in a deadly dance of combat. Completely attuned to each other's movements, they coordinated attacks with pinpoint precision.

To their right, Raven and Argent both had solid wall constructs blocking off the streets behind, forcing the Gordanians to be fenced in to this small stretch of pier. To their left, Beast Boy, Aqualad, and Tramm were in the water, steering stragglers towards the same. Thunder and Lightning hovered above, Kilowatt and Red Star on the roofs, keeping anyone trying to fly over the barriers grounded. They had the Gordanians in a bottleneck, a crucible of flurrying powers, whizzing laser bolts, and shifting bodies.

Robin dodged right, and the Gordanian taking a swing at him overbalanced and fell on his face. Starfire immediately dropped in, grabbing up the man by his shoulder straps, lifting him bodily over her head, and hurling him off the pier, into the water.

The Boy Wonder smashed his staff into the head of another Gordanian heading for her, following up with a jab to the chest. The Gordanian brought his trident up. Metal locked with metal, Robin's feet sliding as he jockeyed for leverage.

Starfire came to his rescue at once, shoving the Gordanian hard in the chest, sending him stumbling. He teetered on the edge of the pier, wobbled, flailed comically a few moments before losing his balance and joining his friend in the water.

The two Titans took up position side by side, pausing a moment to look over the battle.

They'd driven the enemy back. More waves were coming, pouring out of the crashed ships, but their numbers on land were rapidly decreasing as the Titans gained the upper hand. They had almost pushed the Gordanian army off the pier completely.

And here they would hold the line.

Robin steeled himself, and Starfire brought up her glowing fists.

The Gordanians would break on them like water on the rocks. After all, they were together.

And as long as they were together, nothing could stop them.


	11. RobStar Week 2016, Day 4 - Reunion

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Reeeeeeeeeuniiiiiiited and it feels so goooooooooooood!

Robin had been slumped at his usual computer station, but perked up when his communicator beeped. He piped the connection to the main screen, steeling himself for the sink of disappointment when he answered and it was inevitably not Starfire.

But to his surprise and delight, her very smiling face was the one that filled the screen when the connection came through.

"Star!" he exclaimed, his features brightening.

"Hello Robin," she greeted, beaming. She glanced behind him and nodded at the figure on the couch. "Raven."

Raven nodded back, glancing up from her book. "Hey Starfire."

Robin could barely contain himself, looking like he might float out of his seat at any moment. "It's so good to hear from you!" he said breathlessly. A worried expression suddenly snapped onto his face. "Did something happen? Do you have to stay longer? Is something wrong with the negotiations?" he asked in a rush.

"Oh no! Nothing is wrong with the treaty negotiations at all!" Starfire hastened to dismiss. She smiled again. "But I believed you wished to know when my transport was passing Saturn."

Robin whooped. "You mean you're on your way home? Right now?" he asked, hardly daring to believe it.

"I shall be in Earth's atmosphere within the hour!" Starfire confirmed.

This time Robin really did spring up from his seat. "I'll see you on the roof, okay?"

"Yes Robin. I will be there shortly!" she promised.

Robin grinned. "Great!"

As soon as the connection switched off, Robin blazed for the door, almost knocking into Cyborg on his way out. The half-robot swerved out of the way last second, giving the Boy Wonder a puzzled look. He turned forward again and came into the room, pointing back at the empty door with his thumb.

"What's his hurry?" he asked Raven.

Raven was gathering herself together, standing up and brushing the lint off her cloak with a subtle smile. "Starfire's on her way home. He went up to the roof to meet her when she got in."

"Oh _finally!_ " Cyborg said, rolling his head back dramatically. "I was beginning to think he'd _never_ stop _moping_."

"Know the feeling," Raven commiserated. A miserable, melancholic empathic funk had been hovering over Robin for almost a month now, and at times it made it almost unbearable to be in the same room with him. His gloom stuck to her like a personal raincloud through their bond and no amount of meditating could ever fully clear it.

His elation at finally seeing her face again after so long almost made it worth it.

She bookmarked her place in her book and tucked it under her cloak, gesturing towards the door. "C'mon. Let's not miss her ship."

-TT-

Even though he was standing still, his only movement a subtle shifting from foot to foot, Robin felt like a bundle of nervous motion. Like springs coiled in every limb, straining with the tension, ready to burst.

The other Titans said nothing when they joined him on the roof momentarily, but there was a palpable excitement surrounding them too.

They all turned their eyes up to the sky, straining for the first glimpse of the ship.

At length, Robin seemed to spy something silhouetted against the blue, a speck of gold and silver reflecting the sunlight. He might have dismissed it for a plane, but as it got closer the shape grew and changed into an unfamiliar shape, the details resolving until it was identifiably and unmistakably a Tamaranian passenger cruiser.

Shielding his eyes against the sun, Robin grinned at the sight.

Starfire didn't even wait for the cruiser to make a landing. The door in its side opened abruptly, and then she was a streak of red and purple, trailing green behind her, jetlining straight down.

He thought he could perceive a sound tracking with her—a high-pitched, long kind of squealing, following just past her heels as she outflew it.

She was coming in fast, like a hurtling comet. Robin only had time to take a nervous step backwards, his eyes widening slightly, before she impacted, slamming into him, sweeping him up off the roof, clean off his feet.

Robin grunted, slightly winded from the flying tackle, but they were already fifty feet up and several yards out over the bay, her embrace tight around him, and she was laughing, and it was the most wonderful sound in the world. His arms reached around to grasp her tightly, feverishly, squeezing like he could never let go of her again. He could smell her hair, the floral fragrance of some native Tamaranian blossom clinging to it as it swept around their heads. He could feel the sunlight in her skin, the solar energy that radiated from her body to make her so warm, so fun to hug. He could hear her voice shaking with a long-withheld relief and jubilation.

He pulled his head away slightly, to look in her sparkling green eyes. "You missed me too, huh?" he guessed, grinning from ear to ear.

Her arms tightened, squeezing desperately. " _Very_ much so!" she whined.

"Okay," he laughed. "Okay. Put me back down and we can talk all about it. Over dinner."

"Cyborg is cooking, yes?" Starfire asked hopefully.

Robin hooked his hands behind her neck, beaming cheekily. "You _bet_ he is."

She was a bubbling fountain of delight, already telling him tales of her political exploits, all the way back down to the roof, where there were many bone-crushing hugs and exclamations of joy, and her hand never left his, holding onto him with all the strength she possessed.


	12. RobStar Week 2016, Day 5 - PTSD

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This prompt was a fun one for me to do. A lot of people probably would have picked Robin for the, ahem, victim—and plural people did, and we all know the boy definitely has some Traumas—but I kind of wanted to explore Starfire's backstory for it instead, since TTG! #46 basically all but outright stated that the Gordanians had been bombing and razing Tamaran continuously for five years and hoo boy, that could not have been fun to live through.
> 
> This takes place shortly after the episode "Go!". I have a headcanon that Robin and Starfire were sharing an apartment for a few weeks to a month before the official formation of the team, so that's what they're doing now. Enjoy!

_Hands shaking her shoulder brought her to awareness. Koriand'r emerged groggily from the soft sheets and the warm embrace of slumber, fear already creeping through her heart when she beheld her mother's worried countenance and heard the distant wailing of the alarms._

_"Mother?" she asked, innocent eyes widening._

_Luand'r pulled her from the bed bodily, frantically ushering her out into the hallway. "Hurry, Koriand'r, they're coming! Into the bunker, quickly!" she said._

_Koriand'r whimpered, hands grasping out for something to hold. She caught Komand'r's wrists as her older sister ran alongside them, and instead of pulling away the older girl just gripped her hands just as tightly, clinging to the redhead as the three of them ran through the palace._

_Their feet sped down the all-too familiar path to the lower levels, down past the throne room and the servant's quarters, down down down into the depths of the foundation where sturdy rose-tinted stone surrounded them on all sides. Attendants and guards and other palace staff crowded in around them on the narrow staircase. The alarms, still faint, continued to blare, sounding their warning, heralding the coming of another Gordanian attack._

_Luand'r bustled them into a corner, joining Galfore_ _—who had a tiny Ryand'r tucked in the crook of his arm. The honorable k'norfka passed the infant along to his mother, turning to go back up the stairs and join the defense._

_"Galfore, please, do not go!" Koriand'r wailed, reaching out for him._

_He paused a moment, kneeling by her side. "You are safe here, Princess," he assured her. "I will be of much better use to you aboveground. Stay with your mother," he ordered, before sweeping away up the corridor._

_Komand'r and Koriand'r huddled together in a tight, terrified ball, cowering close to their mother's breast as the sirens reached a fever pitch and then the tell-tale roar of the Gordanian drones could be heard above the din._

_The lights dimmed out as the first bombs began to fall._

_Boom!_

_Koriand'r bit her lip, squeezing her eyes shut. Worried gasps echoed the room._

_Boom! BOOM!_

_Louder and closer this time. Koriand'r found it hard to breathe, she was shaking so hard._

_BOOM!_

_The walls shook, the chamber rumbling and rattling with the impact even this far down, and dust spilled from the ceiling. Soft screams stole through the bunker. Koriand'r made a few herself. The missiles landed closer and closer, too close. They were going to break the roof. They were going to send rubble and debris crashing down on their heads. They were_ —

**KRA-KOOM!**

Starfire shrieked awake, eyes opening to total darkness. The room was unfamiliar, smaller and more modest than her bedroom back home, but the sounds outside and the bright flashes of light were terrifyingly familiar.

She flung off the covers, heart in her throat, her first thought to grab her sister and brother.

-TT-

Robin rubbed his eyes groggily, coming out of a light, fitful sleep to the sound of the rain and a commotion in the other room. Blinking, he peered towards the door.

Crashing, and things being flung about. Soft thuds like someone was stumbling into the furniture.

Concerned, Robin swung his legs over the side of the bed, reaching for his mask on the bedroom table. Once pressed on over his eyes, he stood up and made his way to the door.

The sight that met him when he opened it was quite alarming. His alien roommate was rushing all about the room, tossing furniture and other loose articles towards the windows. She'd made quite a pile against one of them, and kept running back to it to stack it higher.

All the while she was breathing frantically, shallowly, like she couldn't get enough air, and muttering to herself in both English and Tamaranian—Robin only caught snatches of words, a couple proper names it sounded, and over and over again something that sounded like "bunker".

_What in the world?_ he wondered.

"Starfire?"

She gasped and stiffened, startled at the sound of his voice. Her wide green eyes found him in the dark, and her shoulders seemed to relax slightly. But it wasn't long before she swept up to him, grabbing hold of his sleeve and tugging him towards her makeshift barricade.

"What are you—?" Robin started to ask.

"Hurry!" she cried. "At the very least we must block the windows so the Gordanians—" and here she dissolved into a long string of Tamaranian he couldn't understand.

Robin gently pulled his sleeve out from her grip, watching in bewilderment as she attempted to stack the table lamp on top of the lazy boy she'd shoved up against the glass.

"What are you talking about?"

A flash of light outside was followed by a bellowing rumble and Starfire squealed fearfully, whipping around to face him.

"The bombs!" she said. "The Gordianians are dropping _khaf'trukas_ this time! Can you not hear them?" She searched the air behind him with a look of exasperation. "Oh where is Komand'r?!" she wailed.

Robin glanced out the window. It was blurry with rain; there was a doozy of a thunderstorm raging outside. Very loud and raucous, but not really dangerous, except perhaps to low lying areas that might get inundated with rainwater. Nothing they had to worry about, on the second floor.

But something in the far-away look in Starfire's eyes and her breathless talk of _bombs_ told Robin that his newfound alien friend was not altogether... _there_. Her mind was somewhere else, the booming of the thunder transforming into something else entirely inside her head.

She couldn't keep still. Her expression was... haunted.

Robin felt worry trickle up through him as he watched her heave back the sofa, thrusting it to one side to move it out of her way.

_"Zornak threik'aa X'hal kek rashikatu sonakek_ _—"_ she was muttering to herself.

"Starfire," he called.

She turned up to him with a snap, rigid as a board and looking almost ready to fling herself under her barricade. "WHY ARE THE SIRENS NOT SOUNDING?!" she yelled, her expression agonized, terror lacing through every word.

She almost lunged for the windows again, breaking off into more breathless Tamaranian, but Robin quickly grabbed her shoulders.

"Starfire!" he snapped. Gentler now, he said, "Calm down. It's just a thunderstorm."

"A... what?" Her eyes scrunched, confusion taking over her face. She racked the word through her brain for its Tamaranian equivalent, coming up short and empty.

"Thunderstorm. Look." He nudged her towards the windows, but she wouldn't budge (and he couldn't budge her either), so he just continued. "See? It's just a lot of rain and noise. The lightning is what makes those bright flashes and thunder is just air rushing in to fill the space after it," he explained.

She still wouldn't look at the window, but her gaze was starting to become less distant. More... present. "You... you mean..." she stammered, parsing through his words and his distinct lack of concern or panic. "Those awful booms I am hearing... they are _not_ the Gordanians dropping bombs on us?" she asked.

"No," Robin said in bewilderment. What would even make her think...? "Cyborg told us he'd keep his sensors on the skies, remember? If your scaly lizard friends were back, we'd know it."

Starfire's expression was blank a long moment. Unreadable. Like she was having trouble understanding him.

"I... I had thought..." she stammered softly. Her eyes drifted, looking around the room as though she couldn't quite recognize it.

There was a particularly bright flash of lightning outside, and the thunderclap that followed seconds afterward was like a sharp cannon blast. ( _No wonder she thought they were bomb explosions_ , thought Robin in that split second.)

Starfire's whole body flinched and she gave a short, trembling whimper, clutching her arms around herself tightly, shoulders curling in. She stumbled back weakly into the sofa, sinking into it limply.

_Rattling ceiling. No light. Huddled in the dark. Hands over her ears. Buried. Suffocating._

Her breath shuddered, wheezing in and out sharply, eyes open wide, staring at nothing.

Robin rushed forward, recognizing her actions and continued shortness of breath as symptoms of a panic attack. "Hey," he called, trying to break through her stupor. He slung an arm around her shoulder, tried to gently pry her wrists away from clutching her chest. Even through his gloves he could feel the frantic pace of her pulse. He sat beside her, tightening his comforting hold. "Breathe. _Breathe_ ," he told her, panicking a little bit himself at just how shrill and shallow her inhales were.

What was it that Bruce and Alfred would always do for him in one of his episodes? Robin tried to parrot some of the words.

"It's okay. You're okay. We're not under attack." He remembered nights, waking up from a nightmare, where simple reassurances and just being held would calm him down. He let go of her wrist and curled his hand around her shoulder instead. "You're _safe,_ " he assured her. "Just take deep breaths. Deep breaths, come on Starfire," he urged.

With effort, after an uncertain moment or two, Starfire shuddered her way through a long inhale. She let it out slowly, trembling all the while.

The next breath was a little less labored. And then the next. And then the next.

Robin smiled. "That's it. Thaaaat's it," he encouraged.

For the next few moments, Starfire slowly calmed herself down. Gradually, the suffocating vice around her lungs eased up. Her heart stopped pounding like it would burst out of her chest. Her shaking ceased. The images from her memory faded out from her mind.

Robin sat with her and watched her get ahold of herself in silence, feeling almost helpless. Had it only been a few days ago that she was an unstoppable ball of anger and frustration, shooting starbolts at him and punching him across the street? She seemed so much more fragile now, delicate like glass, nothing like the fearless titanium warrior he had met.

So the Gordanians were not just her slavers. They had actively attacked her homeworld. And with enough frequency to warrant sirens and require taking shelter in a bunker.

There was so much about her he still didn't know, he realized.

She spoke up at length, quietly. "I am... sorry... that I did the freaking out." She glanced up at him. "I heard the..." She shuddered at the unfamiliar Earth word. "...'thunder' and... I could not help... remembering..."

Robin gently slid his hands off her shoulders, giving her a bit of space. "I know how you feel," he admitted. At her curious look he smiled grimly and summarized, "Something very painful happened to me when I was young. Certain sounds or smells make me... drift."

Some kind of understanding passed between their eyes. You are like me, it said. I am like you. We are the same.

Thunder rumbled outside the window again. Starfire shivered, but remained calm this time.

"I do not think I much like the thunderstorms," she muttered.

"I don't think anyone really does," Robin said lightly. "Do you need anything?" he offered. "Earplugs? Mask over the windows? Hot tea?"

"No," she whispered. Then, gratefully, "Thank you."

Robin sighed with relief, happy that his alien friend felt at least a little better. "Get some rest," he urged. He started to get up from the sofa.

She caught his sleeve, looking up at him.

"Stay with me?" she asked. "I... do not want to be alone right now."

Robin felt an awkward nervousness tick through his veins, but he rejoined Starfire on the sofa.

They sat together all through the night, quietly, as the storm raged on outside.


	13. RobStar Week 2016, Day 6 - Sunset

For the longest time, Robin struggled to define the precise shade of orange Starfire most resembled.

There was traffic-cone orange, of course, and many an initial skeptic in the press had unfavorably compared the alien princess to such before. But Robin thought that was too bright, too attention-grabbing. Which wasn't to say that Starfire didn't immediately attract attention when she walked—or floated—into a room, but he chalked that more up to her vibrant personality, the friendly way she announced herself by greeting her friends.

He had ruled out carrot-orange for the same reason.

For a while he considered her closest to pumpkin-orange, but whenever he had a chance to really spend time close to her he realized she didn't fit the impression of a pumpkin at all. Pumpkins were hefty, full of mush on the inside, a staple of fall. Starfire seemed more… ethereal than that. Exotic-feeling, like the heat of summer.

That called to mind citrus; fruits like melon or mango or oranges. She seemed to like those kinds of scents as well, along with anything light and airy. Tropical floral scents were a big favorite. She said they reminded her of home.

But those shades of orange were almost too soft. For her, a fierce warrior with a vivacious sparkling personality, who loved so passionately, felt so strongly, they almost seemed pale and dull in comparison.

It was while he was watching her chase Beast Boy around in the air one evening, engaged in a friendly game of tag, that he finally decided.

She was silhouetted against the sky, the sun hanging low near the sea behind her. The whole horizon was a bright splash of orange clustered around the glowing yellow orb, twinkling on the crests of the waves, bathing the whole bay with a warm, soft light. Streaks of rose and purple snuck in on occasion, but that vivid shade of orange was the most prominent color. Starfire seemed to melt into it as she zigzagged after the changeling, giving her a fine chase in the form of a hawk.

Bold enough to fit her strength, soft enough to fit her gentleness. Sunset.

Yeah, sunset, he decided.

"What are you thinking about?" asked Cyborg's voice, right next to his ear.

Robin jumped a little, hastily looking away from the alien princess. "Nothing."

The half-robot smiled knowingly. "Uh-huh," he said skeptically. He turned back to his grill with an amused look. "Suuuuuure."

Twilight came too soon for him.


	14. RobStar Week 2016, Day 7 - Legacy

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ahhhh, this one was a fun one! My first idea was of course that Robin and Starfire were all grown up and retiring and then once I'd decided that I had to do Damian taking up the Nightwing mantle I just had to.
> 
> I love that prickly abrasive little bastard.
> 
> And then of course I had to have Mar'i in there too because she's precious. Hints of Demonfire if you squint I guess. The DickKory on the other hand is not subtle, lol.

The young man tugged uncomfortably on the gloves. They fit a little too tight. Hilarious considering the rest of the sleek, black and blue outfit was just a smidgen too loose.

He'd have to grow into it, he supposed, only he wasn't entirely certain he really wanted to, or that he even _should._

This uniform had a history he wasn't part of, after all, had belonged to a man he wasn't quite sure he could measure up to.

Not that he'd tell him that.

The redhead standing off to the side covered her mouth, her eyes watering with emotion.

"Oh…" she breathed. "It is _wonderful_."

Damian shifted awkwardly on his feet, confused by the praise. "I'm certain Grayson looked much better in it than I do," he muttered.

Starfire cracked a cheeky grin. "Oh he _did_ ," she purred, in a tone Damian thought _quite_ inappropriate for a woman of her age. "He did indeed." Starfire hastened to add, "But you are also quite fetching in the uniform, Damian. I am sure Dick would say the same."

"Mom, don't make it weird," a young female voice broke in. The ebony-haired girl came and stood next to her mother, crossing her arms and smiling at him in approval. "You look good, Dami," she told him genuinely.

Damian felt himself flushing, and looked down at his too-big boots. "Thank you." He pulled at the side of the uniform, stretching it out. "But are you all sure you want me to have this?"

"Someone's gotta keep up the Nightwing good name," broke in the voice of the uniform's former wearer. Dick Grayson sauntered into the room with all the same swagger of his younger years, the grin cracking the wrinkles on his face. He slid an arm around the waist of his wife, giving Damian the same look of approval as his daughter. "You wear the black and blue well, little Robin."

Immediately, Damian jerked his chin and defiantly crossed his arms, giving a little huff. "Tch. If you had any design sense whatsoever you would add some armor to this ridiculous unitard," he sniffed. "There's nothing covering the backside at all!" he complained. "Why would you wear something so preposterous?"

Dick shrugged. "Starfire liked the view."

"Ew, _Dad_ ," Mar'i objected, screwing up her face and pointedly taking several steps away from her parents. "No one needs to know that!"

Starfire had a finger up to her chin thoughtfully. "The body armor might be a good idea, though," she admitted, appraising Damian in the Nightwing suit once again. "Blüdhaven is very much different from Jump. Rougher. Some protection from bullets might well be in order," she mused.

"Ah, it's nothing we can't handle," Mar'i dismissed. Grinning, she rushed forward, grabbing Damian's hand and tugging him towards the exit on the opposite end. "C'mon Dami, let's show the other Titans your new threads!"

He made a face, turning red in protest and digging in his heels, to no avail as his eager teammate had her mother's strength. "I will _not_ parade around in this undignified getup in front of the others! You cannot make me do such a useless, embarrassing, stupid—"

But then he was gone down the hallway with their daughter, his protests fading out with the distance.

Starfire giggled, turning her head and lowering it to rest lazily on her husband's shoulder. (Even after twenty years, she still had a good couple inches on him.) "He loves it."

"You think?" Dick asked.

She snuggled into him comfortably. "I believe he is just… apprehensive about living up to your reputation."

Dick looked concerned. "He knows if he's uncomfortable taking up the mantle he can just create a new identity for himself, doesn't he?"

"Perhaps he does not. You should make that clear to him." Easing herself around to face him, she hooked her hands around his neck, resting her arms on his shoulders. "In any case, he may need time for adjustment. I think he was expecting and mentally preparing himself to wear a much _different_ mantle before taking up yours."

Dick chuckled, hands sliding around her waist. "Yeah, well, Bruce won't hang up the cape until he's dead, so Damian's out of luck there." He kissed her forehead before continuing. "This'll be a good middle step for him. No one can stay Robin forever, and he himself said it was time to grow up. Besides," he said, smiling again, "I think Carrie will be good for the job of Robin."

"She is quite precious," Starfire agreed.

The two fell silent, lost for a moment in their own thoughts.

"It feels strange," Starfire said, "to stand aside as our children take up the fight."

"We'll always be ready to suit up if they need us," Dick promised, taking her chin in his hand. They would never completely abandon the hero world. Once a Titan always a Titan, as the motto went. "Bruce likes to say the mission is never over, and he's right," he said, "but that doesn't mean we have to run ourselves down until it consumes us. Sometimes we have to let a new generation step up to the plate."

She nodded. "You are right," she said softly. A naughty twinkle appeared in her emerald eyes, still so bright after all these years. "And it leaves us with more time for… _other_ things," she insinuated.

Dick raised his eyebrows. "Yeah?" he asked, _very_ interested.

She grabbed hold of his collar, dragging him off to the side, towards the door that led to their bedroom. "Come my love," she crooned. "Shall we engage in the activities that make our daughter embarrassed to know us?"

"Oh, we _shall_ ," he growled in gleeful response, following along like a dutiful puppy and nibbling on her ear as she led him into the shadows.

Their figures faded out into the darkness of the doorway like fleeting specters.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Subtle jabs at the current comic industry and its refusal to let time pass and characters grow up and retire and earn their happy endings? Why I don't know what you mean. Never heard of them.


	15. RobStar Week 2017, Day 1 - Scars/Hospital

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Welcome to the second borderline NSFWish prompt! Mainly on the basis of naked cuddling and some light innuendos. The kids are about 17/18 in this, which I guess I'm setting about two... three years after Tokyo? IDK I don't have the timeline I made in front of me right now. It's been a couple years at any rate.
> 
> I really loved doing this one.

"And this one?" Starfire asked, pointing to a faint jagged line on Robin's bare chest.

"Mobster with a broken bottle glass." He grinned up at her. "Didn't quite dodge in time."

Starfire leaned on her arms, raising herself off him and looking down his body. The thin white sheet they were under slipped down her back a little.

Her green eyes studied him, picking out all the varied individual marks on his skin she was becoming so intimate with.

"What about…" she asked, trailing a finger down the inside of his arm, "…this one here?" Her finger stopped on a pale white circle in the middle of his left bicep.

Robin grimaced at the memory, becoming serious. "Ah, that one." He lifted his arm a bit to show her. "Bullet wound. One of Joker's guns had actual lead in it. Tore straight through and clipped an artery on its way out."

Starfire winced in sympathy. "That sounds most unpleasant," she commented.

"Oh it hurt like hell, no question," Robin said, tugging her back down to lay on his chest. "But the worst part was how freaked out Bruce was." Robin shook his head, brushing away memories of fuzzy darkness, his mentor's voice shrill in his ear, hands tight on his shoulders, and blood—so much blood—everywhere, dripping from his arm, covering everything. "I don't think I've ever heard him sound so scared."

"I can imagine." Starfire shifted her head, resting her ear on his collarbone. Her hair tickled him. "I hope he did not do anything… reckless. Were it me that had been injured, Galfore would have slain the culprit on the spot."

"Wasn't time," Robin explained, shaking his head again. "I was bleeding out too much. He was _pissed_ though. Banned me from coming on missions for almost four months."

"Well, he had almost lost you," Starfire pointed out gently, reading the traces of old resentment in his tone.

Robin sighed. "Yeah. I know that _now_ ," he admitted. "At the time all I could think about was how unfair it was."

Starfire smiled faintly. "You were stubborn," she remarked with affection. "And had a strong will. You both did. As you do now."

He chuckled. "That's true." He nudged her head with his chin. "All right, your turn."

She sat up, bringing her knees under her. "I am afraid I do not have as many scars as you," she apologized. "Not many that are still visible anyway. Tamaranian skin heals quite well."

"That's okay," Robin assured her, pillowing his arms behind his head and enjoying the lovely view she presented him. "Just tell me the ones you remember."

Starfire looked herself over with a cute pensive expression. Picking out a thin cut on the inside of her left arm she leaned in and pointed to it.

"This," she said, "is from when I fell from a high Kar'rok tree. I was still very young and had not yet fully mastered control of my flight."

Robin nodded, listening with respectful interest.

Starfire found another scar on the inside of her thigh. "I sustained this one when I crashed a fighter. I was eight. Blackfire had snuck aboard it and turned it on by accident. I managed to catch up with it and take control."

"Sounds harrowing," Robin laughed.

"It was!" Starfire confirmed with a cry. "And our mother and father were _most_ displeased with us."

"Hey, wait, why were they made at _you_ , if it was Blackfire's fault?" Robin asked.

Starfire tapped her hands together, looking sheepish. "I may have… assisted in the distraction of the guard so she could slip past him." She brushed a strand of her hair back over her shoulder, expression turning somber. "We were… closer… then."

Hearing the sadness in her voice, Robin caught her hand, squeezing it and bringing it to his lips so he could kiss the knuckles.

She smiled in gratitude. She lay back down, cuddling into his side. "That is enough for now," she decided.

"Aw, come on," Robin whined. "You've gotta have more stories than that."

"Perhaps I wish for you to coax them out of me," she said, eyes gleaming mischievously.

Robin raised an eyebrow. "Oh?" he teased, shifting around to face her. "You mean, like this?" he asked, before he pressed a sloppy wet kiss to the side of her neck.

She squeaked, her sides shaking with silent laughter.

"Oooor…" Robin drawled, moving lower, "…maybe like this?"

He kissed between her breasts, earning a delighted squeal from Starfire.

From behind the door, there came an awkward cough.

"Uh… before you guys start round two, let me just remind you that the walls are _very_ thin and some of us have enhanced senses of hearing," Beast Boy said, sounding embarrassed. "Also your laundry's done," he added.

Robin rolled off of Starfire with a sour look, sulking on his stomach instead.

"Spoilsport," he grumbled.

Starfire just giggled next to him.


	16. RobStar Week 2017, Day 2 - Tyrantverse

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Evil RobStar AU for the win!
> 
> You can consider this oneshot part of the "Sides of the Coin" universe, as backstory explaining how Red Robin and Blackfire hooked up.
> 
> Also, definitely NSFW. There be smut ahead milads and ladies. Not terribly explicit but also very obvious they're doing the do.

The doors from the common room opened and the dark-haired Tamaranian stalked through them, gray eyes glowering and arms and shoulders stiff with silent fury.

She was followed moments later by Red Robin.

"You can't keep ignoring me!" he snarled at her back.

That caused her to swing around and direct her angry glare towards him. "Why not?" she demanded, putting her hands on her hips. "For the past two months you have barely acknowledged my existence." She gave a dismissive wave as she pivoted on her heel. "I am merely returning the favor."

Red Robin's face pinched, his expression pained, his heart aching as he dogged her steps, gesturing plaintively. "Look, Raven and I—we're through. For good this time," he told her.

"You have said that before," she sniffed in contempt.

His hands fell by his sides, his tone growing softer as he walked behind her. "It's different now. She can't control me anymore."

"What are you talking about?" she asked, pausing once again to look back at him.

Suddenly animated, he jabbed his index fingers at his temple. "She was in my _head_ , 'Fire," Red Robin almost growled. "She _made_ me feel the way I did. She used her damn powers on me!" He could still feel the traces of her, even now. Lingering around the fringes of his thoughts. But his mind was clearer than it had been in a long time, his thoughts and feelings were his own again, and his heart remembered long-buried things now resurfacing.

His eyes softened behind the mask.

"It's _you_ that I want," he said, reaching out to touch her cheek.

She jerked away from him. "Hmph!" she huffed, rounding away from him in disgust.

Desperately, Red Robin grabbed her shoulder, pulled himself around until he was in front of her. "Blackfire—"

She swatted away his hand sharply. "Why should I believe you?" she spat, voice poisonous.

"Because you _know_ me," he pleaded with her. He wanted so much to take her shoulders, cup her face, run his hands through her hair, but he had a feeling she'd smack him away again if he attempted to. His words, strained and sincere, would have to suffice. "You know I've loved you from the first moment you bashed my face in. Don't you remember?" he asked. "That spark, that chemistry? Those six months living together? That was _real_." His arms dropped to his sides as he finished. "And I want to see where it leads," he confessed.

There was a battle raging behind her eyes. Her furrowed brows and pinched jaw said anger, but her trembling lip and wavering eyes hinted at something else—some deep-seated hurt trying to rise to the surface. Blackfire tramped down on the hope that was swelling inside her, squashing it, refusing to allow it to bloom. He'd said things like this to her once before, a long time ago—told her that she was beautiful and radiant, and deliciously violent and unpredictable. She had thought… she had _hoped_ … that he'd had feelings for her.

But once the other Tyrants had found them, once they'd moved into the Tower, once that _demoness_ was around… it was like she was invisible. Red Robin never gave her the time of day, not even to complain about his prickly and often-volatile off-and-on girlfriend. She always had to hear it secondhand from one of the others.

Sometimes it seemed like he noticed her again. His eyes lingered on her just a little too long from across the room. He smiled a little too long at her. His hands brushed just a little too closely. Small things, hints she would overplay in her mind, wishing they could be more, that perhaps they _were_ more, that the boy she'd known before the Teen Tyrants was returning.

But always they came to nothing, and she had to walk in to find him swapping saliva with Red Raven. (Or, alternately, having yet another frightful Tower-destroying row with her.)

No. She could not allow herself to believe that this time would be any different.

She stirred from her thoughts, focusing back in on him. "Perhaps if you had acted upon such feelings sooner, you would not have been ensnared by Red Raven's charms," she snarked. She slashed a hand down with a sharp gesture. "I am done waiting for you," she said, her voice biting, her eyes burning at him. "You lied to me and kept me hoping for something you never intended to happen."

The accusation caused his face to twist up in rage.

"It _did_ happen. It _is_ happening. Now," he insisted.

She narrowed her eyes coldly. "Remove yourself from my path," she ordered.

He clenched his fists. "No."

"Robin…" she sighed in exasperation.

"You are _not_ walking away from me," he growled.

A braying laugh escaped from her. "Who is going to stop me? You? Do not make me _laugh_ ," she said, moving to go past him.

_SLAM!_

His hand smacked palm-first into the wall in front of her face, blocking her way. Blackfire startled, looking at him in surprise… and perhaps just a little bit of fear.

Red Robin's eyes burned at her, even through his mask, smoldering with something fierce… and dangerous. He was shaking. Breathing hard. Slowly gathering himself for the next move.

By all the power within him, he would _make_ her see the truth.

They stood there, tensed a moment, senses alerted, the close air between them crackling with pressure.

Red Robin lunged forward, grabbing up her wrists tightly, shoving her backwards.

Blackfire stiffened, started to wrestle against him, started to bring her strength and starbolts to bear as her back hit the hallway wall. He pinned her there, wrists on either side of her head, and her eyes were already beginning to glow, the heat inside them ready to blast him away.

But then the next second his lips were on hers, searing heat into her instead, and she lost all sense of herself in an instant, her mind going utterly blank.

She was frozen there a moment, in the shock of his kiss. Warmer than she'd imagined. Better than she'd dreamed. Too wonderful to be real.

He pressed harder into her, mashing his lips into her immobile, stiff ones, gripping her wrists harshly.

She melted. Her mouth opened and his tongue plunged into it, his grip slackening as she also relaxed, slumping into the wall like a limp, wet rag.

She whimpered, dizzy with bliss, almost unable to comprehend that it was actually happening. But here he was, the one she had long loved, moaning into her mouth, pressing his body into hers. If she didn't seize this moment now, it might never come again.

Blackfire pulled her wrists out of his hands, grabbing for him, wrapping her arms around his shoulders as her legs came up around his waist. All she wanted to do was hold him tight and never let go.

He grunted, warmth flooding down to between his legs. Both hands grasped her face now, pulling her even closer, locking her even tighter to him. He had enough sense to stumble back away from the wall, move them towards the nearest doorway.

They couldn't do this out in the hall.

His hand smacked at the button unsuccessfully a few times before he finally hit it hard enough to trigger the door's opening.

A few drunken steps forward and they toppled headlong into the bed, tangling in the soft sheets, never breaking contact for a minute. Clothes ripped and were tossed to the floor in heedless lumps, skin flushed against skin, hands grasped at each other feverishly like the two were sailors drowning in a violent ocean.

Blackfire's eyes rolled closed, her back arching. She could hear Red Robin panting above her.

_He loves me. He_ _**does** _ _love me._

The truth reinforced every time he thrust into her.

_He loves me. He loves me. He loves me._

She was lost in the power of the revelation, in the unbearable joy of _finally_ being able to feel it in her heart, feel _him_ on top of her, inside her, giving her what she'd longed for since the day she'd met him.

And if her scream of triumph and pleasure as she exploded around him was a little louder and more obnoxious than it perhaps should have been, well, the others would just have to deal with it.

Red Robin collapsed next to her, crumpling, panting from the effort. Blackfire was almost laughing as her chest heaved in and out, reverberations of ecstasy pinging around her body. Her eyes opened, drinking in the sight of him, naked and covered in a thin sheen of sweat, hair sticking to his head as he rested against her side.

His open mouth spread with a lazy grin. "Convinced… yet…?" he panted, looking at her with so much affection she wanted to cry.

She just laughed harder, rolled over and wrapped her arms around his neck, peppering him with kisses.

"Oh _Robin!_ " she cried, burying her face in the short-cropped tuff of his hair. "You do not know how _happy_ you have made me!"

"I think I can take a guess," he replied, his palms sliding up her back comfortably, fingers tangling in her raven locks. "I'm all yours, babe," he told her. "From now on, and forever."

She could hardly dare to hope. "Promise?" Her voice squealed as she said the word.

"Promise," he confirmed, holding on tighter to her as the ache in his heart panged. Her warm glowing body was a precious treasure, better than any stolen jewel, that he'd coveted for too long, been denied over and over. But at long last she was in his arms.

And he never wanted to let her go.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Red Robin uses Wall Dom. It's super effective! XD


	17. RobStar Week 2017, Day 3 - Fireworks

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sometimes I go for the obvious fill. This is one of those times.

The twinkling carnival lights were dazzling. Bright and exuberant like the happy music being piped in from hidden speakers. It made Robin feel right at home.

Beside him, Starfire seemed very out of place, her head swiveling to take everything in, eyes and mouth wide open, looking a little lost.

Robin gravitated towards her side, offering up a smile. She looked like a kid taking her first trip to Disney World, amazed by everything but petrified with indecision. "Pretty cool, huh?" he said.

She looked from booth to booth in wonder. "It is very... _interesting_ ," she said. "But overwhelming." She shook her head. "I am uncertain where to go."

"Well, come with me, I'll show you," he offered, taking her wrist comfortably. He called back over his shoulder at the others. "Hey guys, I'm gonna show Starfire around, I'll meet you later at the food pavilion."

"Oooh oooh!" Beast Boy squeaked, gripping his fists in excitement. "Make sure to take her on the bumper cars!"

"And the tunnel of _loooooove!_ " Cyborg added in a teasing singsong.

Robin rolled his eyes, gently tugging Starfire off.

"What is this tunnel he speaks of?" she asked in confusion.

"Ignore him. C'mon, let's go!" he said, leading her deeper into the carnival grounds.

Robin was itching to introduce his alien best friend to everything. She had such a delightful way of enjoying new things, a cute child-like excitement about all things Earth-related, and he never got tired of showing her something and watching her face light up. The team's first outing to Jump City's pierside carnival seemed ripe for opportunities.

Besides, it had been a while since he'd been able to spend some time alone with her. Not that the others weren't fun to hang out with. (Well, maybe not Raven, who really tended to keep to herself most of the time.) But he always had a lot of fun with Starfire.

Her happiness was infectious.

He brought her to the merry-go-round first. She stared at the contraption is fascination as they waited in line.

"How pretty!" she exclaimed. "Please, what is the purpose of this ride?" she inquired, turning to him eagerly.

"The horses rotate on a spindle, so when the outer wheel rotates they go up and down. It's like you're riding in a circle," he explained, pointing out the relevant parts.

Starfire pursed her lip. "That does not seem very exciting..." she said, glancing around at the line they were in.

He laughed. "It's not meant to be. It's something for the whole family to go on, including the little kids, or people who don't really like the big coasters," he said. "Or for something slower and more relaxing to do in-between other rides."

It came to their turn to board. Robin urged Starfire forward with a small push to her back.

"Go pick one out," he encouraged.

Starfire floated in, checking out each of the magnificently-carved painted wood horses, drifting from row to row. She squealed, finding one in the shape of a sea-foam hippocampus, and grabbed onto the golden pole, seating herself.

"Oh, it reminds me of the mizraka beasts back on Tamaran!" she said.

Robin picked a stately brown charger next to her with a grin.

-TT-

Starfire enjoyed the carousel so much Robin took them back in line twice for it, Starfire beelining to her favorite hippocampus each time.

From there, Robin took her on the wooden coaster, and then the go carts, and strolled with her down to the games booths. He couldn't resist showing off for her, knocking two stacks of bottles over in one throw. The flabbergasted booth owner sputtered as Starfire picked out a large plush teddy bear and Robin paid to have it held at the front for them.

Checking the time on his communicator, Robin steered them towards the Ferris wheel. It was almost time for the nightly fireworks. If he timed things just right, they could be on the wheel when it started.

Feeling a bit of a growl in his stomach, Robin told Starfire, "I'll be right back." and left her to hold their place in line.

He paid a quick visit to a cotton candy stand, buying a cluster before returning to Starfire. She was watching the ride with rapt attention, asking questions of the attendant.

"And how old must one be to operate this contraption?"

The lanky, freckle-faced boy smiled. "Pretty much the same age as all the other rides. Sixteen, plus you have to take two weeks of training and a week shadowing another operator."

"How fascinating!" she said, clasping her hands together. "Is it very hard?"

"Nah, just a lot of steps and safety rules to remember," he shrugged nonchalantly.

Robin squeezed his way next to her. "Hey," he greeted.

She turned to him eagerly. "Robin!" she said. "This ride can be operated by human juveniles! And the carnival owners will pay them to do so!"

"Sounds like a fun summer job," Robin quipped, nodding at the attendant as he lifted the chain to let them pass.

"Enjoy the ride!" the boy chirped.

Starfire mouthed the word 'job', running over it in her mind. Robin could see her filing the word and its definition away in her head. Anticipating her next question, he said, "There are lots of different kinds of jobs. Us being heroes is sort of our job."

"Only... we do not get paid," Starfire noticed.

Robin shook his head. "Not directly. We're partially funded by the city council, but other than that we have to provide our own money."

"Oh! Is that why we are always participating in the 'charity fundraisers'?" she inquired.

"Yep!" Robin confirmed, opening up the door to the Ferris wheel car for her.

"I am learning so much today!" she gushed.

Exactly the words he wanted to hear. Robin grinned privately as he slid into the seat next to her.

The attendant came by, locking their car and double-checking the door the make sure it was secure. He flashed them a thumbs up.

"Good to go! You'll have a perfect view."

Starfire tilted her head towards Robin. "A perfect view of what?"

"You'll see," he promised. He couldn't wait to see her reaction.

The Ferris wheel started up. About the same time, a horn sounded across the bay, signaling the start of the pyrotechnics show.

Starfire jumped when the first firework went off, startled and tensing. But as first one, then two, then several exploded in bright colorful conflagrations against the starry night sky, her mouth dropped open in wonder. Her eyes were enraptured, the light shining in them.

It was the most wonderful sight in the world.

Robin relaxed in his seat, settling in to watch the delightful show—both of them.

Starfire leaned forward on her elbows, resting her arms on the front of the car. She cradled her chin in her palms, gazing up at the sky with awe.

"Beautiful..." she gasped.

_Yeah._.. Robin thought in a daze. _You are._


	18. RobStar Week 2017, Day 4 - Rain/Thunderstorm

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Semi-sequel or at the very least in-continuity to the PTSD prompt from 2016, making mention of Starfire's issues with thunderstorms. Because I like callbacks, sue me.

Robin shielded his eyes with his hand, squinting through the heavy wet drops and the water trails running down his mask, into the murky darkness of the trees. The sodden woods yielded no glimpse of their quarry. He could barely even see the damp red flush of Starfire's hair through the thick rainfall.

He shivered, his left hand grabbing at his cape and tugging it tighter around his shoulders. The titanium cloth was soaked and heavy and almost useless, but it was better than nothing. Starfire must've been freezing in her bare shoulder crop top.

The Boy Wonder walked over to join her, boots squelching in the mud, sloshing unpleasantly warm water around his feet, and his clothes clinging and sticking to his skin in wet clumps as he moved.

Starfire resembled a drowned kitten, expression miserable, hair flush around her face and back. She desperately kept pushing her bangs out of her eyes, only for them to droop right back.

Robin caught a wet strand sticking to his own forehead and scratched it free. The rain poured down in relentless pounding waves upon their heads, beating on their shoulders, trickling down their skin.

"I don't think we're going to find him," Robin said, yelling slightly over the sound of the downpour. "Not in this," he continued, gripping both edges of his cape now, huddling inside its meager warmth.

The Tamaranian sighed. "I think you are right," she admitted, gazing out through the forest one last time.

A bright flash lit the treetops above their heads, followed by a clap of loud thunder, and Starfire flinched, shrinking into herself.

"The Johnny Rancid has escaped once more," Robin heard her mumble.

He touched her shoulder, bringing her out of her familiar self-protective cower. "Come on," he said. "Let's just go home."

She nodded vigorously. "Yes please," she agreed.

Robin grabbed up her wrist, leading her off towards the clearing, away from the dripping trees. The rain lashed them in an ever-present rhythm, like a blanket made of wet and cold, goosebumping their skin.

The lightning lit their way, illuminating the rushing rivulets and puddles at their soaked, tired feet.

-TT-

Soon, they were back at the Tower. Robin changed out of his uniform immediately, leaving the damp clothes on top of the dryer to be washed later.

He returned to the common room where Starfire was warming up, rubbing a towel through his hair vigorously. The rain had washed out nearly all the gel, leaving the feathery black locks soft and limp, falling more naturally.

Starfire had curled up inside a thick wool blanket, sitting on the couch with her feet pulled up. She was still in uniform.

"Don't you want to change?" he asked her, coming around to sit.

She shook her head. "I will dry soon enough," she told him. "Are you well? You were shivering before we got in."

He smiled. "I'm fine," he assured her. "Don't worry, we'll catch him tomorrow. He's not gonna stop his rampage just 'cause we interrupted him today."

"Yes," chuckled Starfire. "He is nothing if not predictable."

Lightning suddenly blazed around the Tower. Thunder rumbled through the walls, shaking things up before subsiding.

Starfire inhaled sharply through her teeth, squeezing her eyes shut, face ashen.

Robin watched her in concern. "You okay?" he asked, leaning in.

Her shoulders relaxed and she exhaled slowly as she opened her eyes again.

"I am all right."

Her voice was a little thin, but otherwise steady, and Robin leaned back, satisfied she was okay. "Still not a fan of thunderstorms, huh?" he joked, to lighten the mood.

She gave a faint smile. "It is getting… easier," she said, "to keep myself from disassociating but…" She shook her head again. "I still do not like it."

"I understand."

"Robin?"

"Yeah?"

"Why does it not frighten you?" she asked.

Robin shifted in his seat. "Well… it did actually, when I was little. My uh…" He coughed and cleared his throat, lowering his face. "My dad told me it was just noise though, and wasn't anything to be afraid of. I guess I got used to it eventually."

Starfire shuddered. "I do not think I ever will," she mumbled.

"You will," Robin promised. "Just remember; it's loud, but it's harmless. Just noise."

"I… will try."

They sat together in silence for a moment, listening to the rain washing over the windows.

Starfire suddenly giggled.

"What?" Robin said, turning to look at her.

She was grinning at him and gestured with a hand underneath the blanket. "Your hair. It looks very cute like that." She folded the blanket over her chest. "Would you ever consider wearing it down more often?" she inquired innocently.

Robin's brain had ground to a halt the moment Starfire had brought the word "cute" into the conversation, and he was suddenly aware of the fact that he was in his pajamas—in front of a girl, alone, at night—and how hideously inappropriate that was.

Even if she _was_ his roommate.

He coughed awkwardly, sliding up to his feet in a quick move as he backpedaled. "Uh, anyway—" he stammered. "I should… wash up and get to bed soon. Just pile your clothes on top of mine if you need to wash them. I'll get it in the morning."

Oh but now his teenage mind had twisted the implication of his words and his imagination had already removed Starfire's clothes for her and now he _really_ needed to get out of there before he said something stupid.

She was oblivious. "Thank you, Robin," she said. "I believe I will retire shortly. You need not worry about me."

_Ohhh, yes I do_ , Robin thought, turning swiftly and making a hasty exit, glad the darkness hid his flustered expression and red face.

The pounding of his heart rivaled the thunder outside as he hurried off.


	19. RobStar Week 2017, Day 5 - Summer

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> An excuse to get Robin and Starfire in sexy beachwear? Why of course!
> 
> Also summer is my favorite season so you bet I was gonna enjoy this prompt

Out of all the Earth seasons, the hot three month period between June and August was Starfire's favorite. The soaring temperatures and stifling humidity reminded her fondly of the once lush and tropical climate of her home on Tamaran.

The vegetation was still slowly growing back, the barren, dust-blasted plains only just starting to heal from the planet's five year war against the Gordanians, so this was the closest she could get, currently, to her childhood memories of warm weather and vibrant colors.

Starfire especially loved the rich blue of the ocean. Silt and particular species of plankton and krill tinted the waters pink on Tamaran, a light rose near the shore that faded into a deep magenta. The waters here on Earth looked so much more alive, brilliant turquoise melting into navy, white caps cresting, patches of green kelp visible from above.

She relaxed against the back of the striped canvas chair, soaking in the rays of the sun and watching her fellow beach-goers frolic and play in the waves and on the yellow sand.

Crime tended to drop during the summer too, which meant the Titans had more days off to take a break, relax, have fun, spend some time together. It meant she got to see more of Robin.

In more ways than one, she thought, drawing her eyes over the toned lines of his back in appreciation.

A thin sheen of sweat glimmered on his skin, as he ran forward to punt the volleyball Cyborg had lobbed at him. He wasn't overly-built, but very clearly athletic and well-exercised, his muscles taut and lean, the sinews pulling and stretching as he moved. He looked excellently crafted, from the top of his neck to his nicely rounded buttocks, which Starfire found herself staring at perhaps a little more intently than she should.

He didn't seem to mind, though, when he caught her eyes. He stepped to the side, away from the game, coming up to her with a teasing grin.

"Enjoying the view?" he quipped.

 _"Indeed,"_ Starfire purred, her eyes raking over his bare chest. She beamed, raising her arms to stretch and at the same time floating up from her seat, turning upright to set her feet down in the soft sand. "And you?" she asked, posing cheekily for him. She knew he loved it when she wore this particular two-piece green bikini.

His arms came around her waist. "You're gorgeous, Star," he said, nibbling a little at her ear. "As always."

The words still made her giggle, no matter how many times he said it. "Shall we obtain refreshments?" she inquired.

"Sure. I could eat something." He turned towards the others, sliding a hand up her back. "Hey guys! Star and I are getting ice cream!" he called.

Beast Boy bounced up and down, waving a hand. "Oooh! Get me a three-scoop pistachio waffle cone with walnuts and rainbow sprinkles!"

"Make mine a double-dip chocolate swirl!" called Cyborg.

Robin turned to where their empath was lounging under their beach umbrella, enjoying the shade and a new novel. "Raven, you want anything?"

She looked up from her book, curling her long bare legs a little bit.

"I guess I'll take a vanilla cone," she said, at ease enough to give a rare smile.

"We will be back shortly!" Starfire promised, as Robin took her hand comfortably.

The two of them strolled along the beach towards the food stands, warm sand tickling between their toes, the salty ocean breeze drifting in and blowing gently through their hair.

Starfire sighed in contentment.

"Something wrong?" Robin asked.

"Nothing is wrong at all," Starfire said, with a little shake of her head. "I love this."

Sensing her words were genuine, Robin leaned into her arm. "Yeah… It's nice to have a day off from being heroes."

"A little quiet perhaps," Starfire mused.

"Quiet is nice! I like quiet," Robin insisted. "This kind of quiet at least. It means no one's in danger. Not immediate danger anyway."

"I was about to say…" laughed Starfire, remembering her boyfriend's chronic inability to relax, even when there was a lull in crime.

"I know, I worry too much," Robin said with a tired smile.

She squeezed his hand. "You do indeed. But I love you even still," she told him, pecking his cheek.

He grinned. "I'll bet we can reach the food stands faster by flying," he suggested, offering up his other hand.

She took it, clasping both his wrists as she easily lifted him into the air, carrying him beneath her and smiling as she carried them to their destination, sunlight beaming on her back.

Carefree and at ease, the two of them set down and began to order.


	20. RobStar Week 2017, Day 6 - Anger

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wrath is a canon Bat-foe, and I mostly based my version off the one that appears in the 2005 The Batman cartoon. We'll just... kind of assume he got un-Joker-venomed somehow.
> 
> I mostly wrote this one for protective Starfire. Hell yeah that is my jam.

"Your sarcastic quips are getting old, kid," the man growled, circling around his captive, fingers itching with irritation. "This could be so much easier for you if you'd just tell me what I want to hear."

The villain bent at the waist, leaning down and placing one hand on the corner of the chair back Robin was tied to.

"I'll ask again," Wrath hissed. " _Where… is… the Bat?_ " he demanded, punctuating each word for emphasis.

Robin lifted his head, glaring defiantly, even as his sides panted with effort for breath.

"Have you tried… Google Maps?" the boy's voice rasped.

Wrath pummeled him hard in the face, his hand leaping up.

Robin cried out softly, the blow punching through his cheek, ringing through his already-hurting head. Fresh dribbles of blood dripped from the Boy Wonder's split lip and leaking nose.

He hung his face, panting hard, the rough ropes digging into his arms with every motion.

"If he doesn't show up soon, I'm just gonna kill you and leave your corpse here for him to find," growled Wrath. "How about _that?_ " he said, shooting a glare at his uncooperative prisoner.

Robin didn't respond, still dazed from the last punch. His lap blurred as he squinted, trying to concentrate through the ringing in his ears. He couldn't keep needling Wrath like this, as much as he needed to stall the villain.

 _C'mon Titans_ , he thought. _Where are you?_

"Surprised he hasn't turned up by now," Wrath was muttering. "Doesn't he have a tracking device on you or something?"

Robin couldn't help himself.

"Maybe… he doesn't think… you're important enough… to warrant his attention…" he coughed out.

Wrath snorted. "Oh, what? Kidnapping his little helper isn't enough?"

The teen gave a pained smirk. "Shoulda trashed his car…" he quipped. "Then he'd have time… for your petty hateboner…"

The villain's eyes flashed and his teeth bared. "That's it," he snarled, sliding his knife out of its sheath with a swift motion and stepping behind the chair. He yanked the ropes around Robin's crossed bound wrists even tighter, squeezing them, and eliciting a sharp groan from the Boy Wonder. Then he seized Robin's hair by the roots, jerking his head back, placing the blade at his tender neck. "You've squawked your last, baby bird," Wrath said ominously.

Robin grimaced, holding very still.

"You should've just kept your mouth shut."

The Boy Wonder shut his eyes tightly, but no slice came.

Only a loud explosion that burst through the far wall in a shocking ball of green, spraying brick and mortar, sending up a dustcloud.

Wrath startled, jumping back, the hand with his knife pulling away from Robin's neck, though the grip on his hair remained.

"What the—?" he sputtered.

Robin managed a faint grin. "You're… in trouble… now…" he gleefully wheezed out.

Wrath shoved his head back down, releasing him, peering into the clearing dust. His breath hitched when through the gray haze he saw two narrowed, glowing eyes, burning green like some kind of demon.

 _The witch_ , he thought at first, but now the dust had cleared enough to reveal that Raven was standing to the side. The angry demonic eyes belonged to the seething redhead beside her.

Starfire took in her beloved at a glance—the cuts and bruises on his face, his bleeding lip, how he just sort of hung limp in the ropes that bound him—and then pinned Wrath with a furious expression and let loose a guttural yell.

Right before hurling herself across the room at blinding speed.

"Oh shi—"

He didn't have time to even finish his curse. The Tamaranian warrior princess slammed into him with the force of a pallet of bricks, carrying him clear across the room and into the other wall. Wrath felt the breath leave him as his back smacked the hard concrete. He staggered to his feet, only to be met with a starbolt to his shoulder.

"You _clorbag!_ " Starfire shrieked, hot starbolts sizzling around her hands, popping off as fast as she could throw them.

The villain ducked and dodged, throwing his arms up to shield himself. He grabbed a handful of flashbangs from his belt and tossed them at her.

Undeterred, Starfire blasted them and then hurled mighty punches at her opponent, the very air whooshing around her furious blows. Wrath had quick instincts and plenty of fighting experience, but he was no metahuman, and was soon battered around against walls and support beams like a pinball.

Crunching harshly into a stack of crates, Wrath stiffened and stayed down, groaning in pain.

An orange hand seized the front of his collar, yanked him up off his feet, held him there. Starfire drew back a starbolt threateningly, expression murderous.

"Starfire!" Raven called from across the room.

Starfire paused, her eyes pinching, limbs shaking. Slowly she turned her head.

Raven had freed Robin from the chair and was holding him up, his arm slung over her shoulder. He looked so pale and exhausted it nearly made her cry.

The empath shook her head.

"He's not worth it," she said. "Let him go."

A strained sound escaped her throat. Every inch of her, every instinct, was vibrating with a call for blood, for this man who had hurt her beloved to _suffer_ as he had made Robin suffer. She wanted so badly just to _end_ him.

But she controlled herself. This was not justice. Robin was alive, and that was all that mattered.

The glow faded from her eyes as she let out a shuddering exhale. Her limbs relaxed, Wrath's feet brushing the floor.

But Starfire was still pissed enough to toss him back onto the broken crates with an ungentle heft of her wrist.

_CRUNCH!_

"Aaahh…" the villain groaned, feeling sharp board edges under his aching back.

Starfire's eyes hardened into a glare and she clenched her fists. "You will consider yourself fortunate," she spat, "that I do not slay you where you stand."

"Yes ma'am…" he replied weakly, as she turned away from him, rushing across the room to Raven and Robin.

The Boy Wonder cracked a weary smile for her. "Hey Star…" he called, his voice weak.

She gave a cry, running up and cupping his face, taking him from Raven, who wordlessly let her hold him.

"Are you okay?" Starfire asked him, her voice wavering.

"You're so beautiful when you're mad," he said, nonsensically, looking at her with dopey adoration.

Starfire blinked and then glanced aside at Raven.

"I… think he got punched in the head a few times," the empath said. Raven waved her off. "You go ahead and take him home. We'll clean up here."

"It is just as well," Starfire grumbled, gathering Robin up into her arms, one arm around his back, one arm under his legs. "If I remained here much longer I do not think I would be able to resist the urge to strangle him," she told Raven, jutting her chin towards the crumpled Wrath.

"Know the feeling," Robin joked, as Starfire lifted him up and away from the warehouse storage room.


	21. RobStar Week 2017, Day 7 - Film Noir

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I could have straight up AU-ed this prompt, which would probably have been the easier option, but like with "High School" back a few chapters I never make things easy for myself sooooo.
> 
> It was more fun this way anyway.

"No exit," Robin sighed, dropping the cheap plastic blinds over the grungy, grayed-out window. He turned to Starfire, shaking his head. "It doesn't look like there's another way out."

"You mean… we cannot simply channel hop as we did the last time Control Freak trapped us inside the land of the television?" she asked, looking worried. She glanced around the small messy office with its overstuffed desk and lingering smell of cigarette smoke. "This is not a very pleasant place to be stuck," she said.

"Where are we anyway?" Robin wondered, crossing over to the frosted-glass door and pulling it open to read the peeling black letters curiously.

"Are we not inside the old movie Beast Boy had us watch last Saturday?" Starfire replied, tilting her head.

Robin squinted, taking another look around the dingy room. The corkboard poster on the wall, littered with clippings about a string of eerily similar thefts, the peeling wallpaper, the distinctive blue fedora hung haphazardly on the corner of the chair…

"You're right," he realized. He stepped behind the desk to check something in the top drawer. "Yep," he said, spotting the black velvet engagement ring box, a sad memento of the protagonist's ex-fiance, and the reason the detective was as jaded and as cynical as he was. Robin shut the drawer again. "We're definitely in _Streetlight_."

"Do you think—" Starfire began, then stopped, turning her face with a blush. "Never mind."

"What is it?"

Starfire took a deep breath to compose herself. "Do you think perhaps," she suggested, "that if we played the scenario out to its conclusion… we might be able to escape?"

"You mean, run through the events of the film?" Robin considered it. If they could find the end credits, could the exit be waiting there?

He shrugged.

"Couldn't hurt to try," he reasoned.

"I shall go take my place outside!" Starfire declared, smiling in relief that he didn't think her idea was silly.

She breezed out the door, fluttering the blinds as she passed.

-TT-

_Smoke trailed up from the ashtray by his elbow, tickling his nose. Detective Grayson perused his open case file, idly tugging the buttons of his wrinkled white shirt cuffs open._

_Dead end. Another dead end and this time a dead body to go with it. Some unlucky kid who caught the business end of a knife and had his body dumped in the gutter. His mother had already been in earlier, crying hysterically and insisting her son was a good boy._

_Grayson shook his head with a snort. Was anyone truly good anymore? Long years at this job and he almost didn't believe it anymore._

_A timid knock came at the door._

_"Come in," he grunted, not looking up._

_The door opened to admit a beautiful redhead, clutching her gloves close to her chest._

_"Forgive my intrusion, Detective," she apologized demurely. "I know you must be very busy."_

Robin grinned privately to himself. 1930s fashion looked good on her. Made her look exceptionally soft and feminine.

He _did_ wonder where she'd found the clothes though.

_He looked up, closing his case file. "I got time to spare for a pretty dame," he said. "What d'you want?"_

Starfire assumed the tentative posture of a worried woman, wringing her gloves in her hands.

_"My sister has disappeared," she told him._

_"Missing persons is Detective Todd down the hall darlin'," Grayson interrupted, pointing off dismissively._

_"Yes, yes, no I realize that, however…"_

Starfire paused to inhale, giving her next words the gravitas they deserved.

_"I believe… I have reason to suspect that she had become involved with an underground gambling ring with ties to Boss Scarface."_

Robin shifted forward in his seat appropriately, even as his mind idly supplied the image of Blackfire next to poor timid Arnold Wesker and his perpetual wooden arm attachment. Now that _would_ be a weird team-up.

_"Big Boss Scarface, the city's shiftiest scumbag?" he asked. "What makes you think that?"_

_"She has been in a… relationship," she explained, "with a young man who works for him as an enforcer."_

_"That's almost half the local youth population. Care to be a little more specific?"_

_"A boy named 'Red' Robby Smith. I believe he did some time for petty jewelry theft."_

For some reason the words made Robin think of Red X, and his imagination inserted the thief next to Blackfire. He tried to picture the two together and then his brain immediately regretted it, scrambling to erase the image of the two tangled up tongue-deep in each other and sans clothing.

_"So your sister has terrible taste in men. You think she ran off with him?" he asked._

_She shook her head. "I fear it is more serious than that. I intercepted letters_ _—"_

She fished around in her pockets a moment, then looked around at a bit of a loss, the mysterious force that had supplied her wardrobe having evidently failed to provide her with adequate props. She waved her hands in a dismissive 'never mind' gesture.

_"_ _—of correspondence between the two, discussing some big heist Boss Scarface wanted Red to do for him."_

_"These letters say what the target was?"_

Robin was eyeing the little glass cup of scotch on his desk, wondering if that would help bleach out the horrible thought of Red X and Blackfire necking, which was still plaguing his imagination.

_"No, but…" She gave a heavy sigh. "I am very certain it is the Crown Emeralds Necklace. It is our shared inheritance and my sister has expressed numerous times her desire to have it for herself."_

_"So you think she's conspiring with her man to steal it? That's a mightly bold accusation to make against your own flesh and blood, Miss_ _—?"_

Starfire beamed.

_"Anders. Kory Anders, sir."_

It wasn't the name of the character, but he'd take it. They usually had some leeway to play around and improvise whenever Control Freak trapped them inside fictional worlds.

Robin gave in to temptation and slid the glass of scotch next to him. He picked it up for an experimental sip.

_"Do you have any proof besides your gut feelings that she's_ _—"_

He took his sip and immediately choked, the alcohol burning the back of his throat. Robin coughed, his eyes watering, losing composure.

"Robin?" Starfire called in concern, breaking character.

Robin carefully put the glass down and pushed it away. "Never mind that then," he said hoarsely. He coughed into his fist, clearing his throat.

Getting them back on track, Starfire slipped back into her Kory Anders persona.

_"Please Detective, I know it is not much to go on but I am worried for her. Ever since our parents passed, she has not been the same. We are all each other have left, and the police will not help me. You are my only recourse."_

_He was tempted. Lord knows he couldn't resist a beautiful woman. And she was beautiful, there was no question about that, and if his ex hadn't ruined him for dames forever he might have been attracted. But he didn't do charity cases._

_He shifted forward in his seat. "You willing to pay double?" he grunted._

_"Done," Kory told him._

_Detective Grayson brushed off his desk. "Fine then. I'll look into it." He reached for his coat, slung across a stool to his left. "It's boiling in here, why don't you join me for lunch and tell me about the last time you saw your sister?"_

_The dame and the detective exited the dingy room, shuffling the clippings on the wall._

-TT-

After a harrowing hour of mystery, pursued leads, twists and turns, and unexpected peril, the two had come to the final showdown. Starfire had accompanied him the whole time—again, not exactly accurate to the movie but the other characters had reacted appropriately without the story going off the rails so Robin figured they were doing fine. He didn't much like the idea of losing track of her in this world anyway. Gangsters and shootouts were on every corner, corrupt cops leered at her as they passed, and the constant shadows and dramatic atmospheric lighting made it ridiculously hard to see. They'd already been shot at and locked inside an abandoned building. He wasn't putting her in any more danger.

Which suited the scene they were about to play perfectly.

_Detective Grayson peered around the wall, his trusty pistol clutched in hand._

_"Think they're gone," he said, stowing his sidearm. "They're heading for the bridge. I can cut 'em off if I duck down Fifth."_

_Kory grabbed hold of his sleeve, eyes plaintive. "Let me come with you," she begged. "Let me talk to her."_

_He shrugged her off. "You'll only get in the way," he spat. "She's already taken a shot at you, I don't think she's in the mood to talk," he pointed out with biting snark._

_"She is my sister!" Kory insisted._

_"She's a loony and a lost cause!" Grayson snapped back at her, rounding to face her. "Like everyone in this damn district!"_

_Kory's eyes burned fiercely. "I do not believe anyone is a lost cause, Detective," she said, echoing a statement she had made earlier, in a more comfortable, casual context. "I am coming with you."_

_Grayson shook his head. "I can't let you do that. Stay here."_

_"And do what?" she demanded. "Wait helplessly?"_

_The detective took a long time in replying._

Robin's face was in his hands and he was shaking his head.

"Robin?" Starfire whispered, amused.

"This is stupid…" he muttered, face hot and ears burning.

Eyes sparkling, Starfire gave him a quick peck on his cheek. "You are doing wonderfully," she encouraged. She stepped back to give him some space and prompted:

_"Is it because I'm a woman?"_

_"No, dammit!" Grayson yelled, grabbing her shoulders. "It's because it's dangerous and I don't want you to get hurt!" The words seemed to deflate him. "Because I care about you," he confessed softly. "And after Edith I didn't think I_ _**could** _ _care about someone again. But I do."_

_He let go of her shoulders with a huff._

_"There. Ya happy? Got me all sentimental like a damn fool from Brooklyn."_

_Kory placed a hand on her chest, looking starstruck. "Detective…" she breathed. "…you've made me the happiest woman alive."_

_"Lovely," he snorted. "We get outta this remind me to take you to the Charleston. You could use a good drink." He chuckled. "So could I."_

Starfire clapped happily. "That was excellent, Robin!" she enthused. "Most heartfelt!"

"I still think this dialogue is amateurish," Robin said, shaking his head as he took her hand and led her towards the final set piece.

-TT-

The exaggerated 1930s world had faded out to all black, and to their left were the credits, appearing and disappearing alongside the faces of the major players in the film.

"I do not see the exit yet," Starfire said, looking worried.

"Just wait," Robin told her, holding up a finger.

As the last titlecard faded out, there was a pause and a sputter of audio static. Then, far to their right, a white doorway opened up.

Robin grinned. "Good instincts Starfire!" he gushed. "Come on."

They linked hands again and rushed towards the blinding doorway. There was a brilliant white flash and then—

"Well look who decided to join the party!"

Robin blinked, squinting in the sudden bright light of reality. They were back in Control Freak's lair, standing in front of one of the many walls of TVs. Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven were already there, Beast Boy pulling leaves and bugs out of his hair (apparently he'd been inside a Tarzan film, Robin figured, seeing one playing on a screen a little ways behind the changeling), and Cyborg and Raven both standing there with amused smirks.

"How long were we stuck?" Robin asked, brushing off his uniform, which was now firmly back in place.

"Well," reasoned Beast Boy, picking a twig from his armpit, "we got zapped about seven minutes in. Right after the cold open I think. So pretty much the entire hour and a half runtime." He thumbed at Cyborg. "Cy actually got out of his movie first and figured out how to unzap us about twenty minutes ago."

"What?!" Robin blustered, turning to glare at the half-robot. "Why didn't you let us out?"

Cyborg, rubbed the back of his head sheepishly. "Well… I mean… I was gonna but… you know… y'all were just so much more entertaining to watch."

"It was indeed very amusing!" Starfire agreed, floating up and twirling around.

"You certainly had more chemistry than the film's actual leads," Raven commented, with a fond smile at them.

Beast Boy took offense to that. "Hey! _Streetlight_ is a classic!" he protested.

"Oh Robin!" Starfire said, zipping over to grab her boyfriend's arm. "May we watch the movie again sometime?"

Her cute begging face was irresistible. Robin smiled and told her, "Sure Star."

He punched a fist into his hand.

"Right after we go downtown Bronx on Control Freak."

She giggled. "Indeed. Let us introduce him to some 'street justice', as it were."

"You two are disgusting," groaned Beast Boy, brushing the last of the jungle dust off him.


	22. RobStar Week 2018, Day 1 - Falling

Robin hurled a bird-a-rang at his target as he ran along the rooftop. The sharp edge clipped the wing of one of Killer Moth's giant mutated minions, sending it spiraling with a pitiful flail towards the ground. Blue sonic beams and flashing green starbolts told him that Cyborg and Starfire were busy on the ground. Beast Boy was swooping over their heads, picking off mutant moths in pterodactyl form. He couldn't see Raven but he knew she must be nearby; her mantra would ring out through the night every so often.

The Boy Wonder picked up the pace of his sprint, trying to intercept Killer Moth himself now, and the larger moth he was currently riding. The villain had the reins in one hand and in the other brandished a spiky-ended baseball bat, which he used to give the giant moth an annoyed wallop, after it blundered yet again into the side of a building, sending shattered glass tinkling to the street below.

"Fly you infernal insect!" he was snarling at his mount. "Gain some altitude!"

The giant moth roared but obeyed, flapping its great wings forcefully to raise its large heavy body higher.

Robin growled in frustration, looking around the rooftops for something to attach his grapple line to. Killer Moth was getting out of range. He pulled out another bird-a-rang, hurling it with all his might, but already even the moth's dangling legs were higher than he could throw.

He looked around again, spying the tall steeple spire of a Methodist church building. His grapple was out in moments, the hook shooting off and wrapping around the uppermost point.

The line drew tight; Robin gripped the handle firmly as he reeled himself in.

His feet found the tiles of the spire roof, and he quickly scrambled up to the top. He wobbled a moment, his position precarious, paying a nervous glance down at the street, dizzyingly far below.

Shaking it off, he whipped out an explosive disc from his belt, taking careful aim before sending it hurtling towards Killer Moth, who was turning around to make another pass at the Titans.

The disc flew straight and true. Too straight. Killer Moth dropped the reins, taking the spiked bat in both hands, and swung it hard, deflecting the disc back the way it had come.

Robin had just enough time to widen his eyes and gasp.

The disc hit the steeple just below his feet.

-TT-

_BOOM!_

Mortar and stone splintered, dropping in shattered pieces towards the ground.

Starfire looked up anxiously, rising up a little higher above the battle to better see. Though she couldn't always see him directly in her line of vision, she had kept aware of Robin's position throughout the battle.

She strained her eyes to see through the smoke. The top of the steeple had been obliterated, the pieces toppling in freefall.

Along with him.

Starfire clamped down on her first instinct to rush to him. Robin often got himself out of these situations all on his own. But in a rapid series of microseconds she spied the broken end of his grapple line blowing in the wind, noticed that Robin wasn't moving to save himself, wasn't moving _at all_ , and her heart shot up into her throat.

She moved almost before she was consciously aware of it, bursting forth into a nosedive straight for him, arms already out to intercept.

_Reach him_ , was the only thought in her frantic mind. _Oh please, reach him!_

He was already dangerously close to the ground and still unmoving, stunned by the explosion. She poured on speed, heedless of anything else, stretching and stretching and stretching until _—_

His back hit her outstretched arms and she caught him, curling her arms around his legs and torso as he dropped neatly into her embrace.

Her heart finally jolting out of its terrified sputter, exhaling a breath of relief, Starfire slowed her speed and pulled up. She drifted upright, panting hard, eyes crinkling as she beheld him.

"Oh X'hal…" she whispered, breathless.

It was okay, she had to keep repeating to herself inside her head. He was okay. She'd gotten to him in time.

She needed a moment to recover and compose herself. Starfire dropped gently to the street, cradling Robin close.

-TT-

The blast hadn't knocked him completely unconscious, but he was too dazed to really register what had happened. His ears rang and his stomach was churning over with an odd weightless sensation. The broken top of the steeple was falling away, moving farther from him. Wind rushed past his head.

The gentle air was broken by a heavy thump, a collision with something warm and firm. The familiar smell of her drifted through his nose and Robin started to come back to.

He groaned softly. His head was still pounding with reverberations from the blast. He cracked open his eyes, blinking up at Starfire's worried face.

"Star?" he said, still dazed.

She smiled, the tension in her shoulders relaxing. "You are responsive again," she noted. "That is good."

Robin rubbed his ear as he sat up, trying to make the ringing go away. "Ow…" he muttered.

"Are you okay?" asked Starfire, leaning in anxiously.

"Just a little disoriented is all," he assured her. "I got knocked off the roof, didn't I?"

She nodded, mouth pinched.

He smiled and touched her arm affectionately. "Lucky you were there to catch me, huh?"

She exhaled in mixed weariness and relief. "As you say," she teased, "I am your 'guardian angel'."

Chuckling, he agreed. "That you are." Robin shifted and started getting up, brushing dust off his legs. "Come on," he urged. "We can't let Killer Moth get away."

"Are you sure you are all right?" she asked.

"I'll shake it off," he told her. "Not the first time I've been knocked off a roof, won't be the last." He held a hand out to her. "Just promise you'll watch out for me."

There was an unspoken plea in his words, a petition for her not to let him suffer the same fate as his parents, and Stafire nodded firmly.

"Always," she promised.

She took the hand he offered, rising up into the air with him trailing behind, as they prepared to charge the villain.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Protective worried Starfire best Starfire.


	23. RobStar Week 2018, Day 2 - Cosplay

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Nothing is cuter than my favorite ships dressing up as my other favorite ships. I enjoyed this prompt a lot.
> 
> Also it gave me an excuse to write my favorite honorary Titan.

"Robin?" Starfire called, hovering outside his door. "Will you not come out?"

From behind the metal slab there came only a heavy sigh.

Next to her, impatiently tapping her foot, Argent puffed out a breath.

"I 'aven't got all day, love," she said. "I need to check the fit and make sure the cape is long enough. I can't keep Herald on call forever."

Raven stepped up next to them, soundlessly. "It'll take Herald less than five minutes to teleport over, pick you up, and teleport back. He'll be fine." She joined the other two waiting outside Robin's door and crossed her arms. "Robin, seriously. Just open the door and let us see."

Another sigh from inside his room, but this time followed by reluctant shuffling footsteps and a hiss as the door slid open.

Starfire hopped up into the air with an excited squeal, clapping her hands. "Oh Robin, you look _wonderful!_ " she gushed.

He grimaced, frowning down at the costume–a simplified but fairly accurate rendition of Batman's iconic cape and cowl. "Glad you think so, at least," he muttered. He looked up at his girlfriend with wrinkled eyes. "Are you sure about this?" he asked her.

Enthusiasm dimming somewhat, Starfire set back down on the floor, hands clenched to her chest. "What is wrong, Robin?"

"I'm just…" He gestured uselessly at his getup, stumbling over his thoughts and trying to articulate the source of his discomfort. "It just feels _weird_ to go to a con dressed up as my own mentor."

"Were you not the one who suggested it in the first place?" asked Starfire, slightly bemused.

"I know, but I didn't think it'd feel so wrong when I actually put it on," he admitted. With a quick glance at Argent he continued, "I mean, the fit's fine, as far as I can tell, it's just wearing the cape and cowl itself. It'd be the same if Donna was the one dressing up as Wonder Woman instead of you, Star. It would just be awkward."

"Robin, it's a costume, you're not _actually_ dressing up in the Batsuit," Raven groaned, putting a hand over her face.

"No… I understand," said Starfire, placing a comforting hand on his shoulder. "Even if it is an imitation, it is making you confront the idea and possibility of potentially having to take up your _k'norfka's_ mantle." As usual, Starfire was perceptive enough to hit things right on the mark, even if Robin couldn't find the words to tell her himself. The Tamaranian smiled gently at him. "If makes you feel that uncomfortable, you do not have to wear it." Her eyes darted to check with Argent. "We will pay you for your trouble."

"Was about to say…" Argent quipped, a smile cracking her face.

Now Robin was shaking his head. "No, no," he said. "You've already put the work into it, the least I can do is wear it without complaining for one day." He inhaled heavily. "Just… gotta work past it in my head is all."

"I am sure you will," Starfire told him with confidence. Her eyes lit up. "Should I go put on my attire too? Then we can see how we will look together!"

He had to admit he'd been looking forward to seeing Starfire in Wonder Woman's iconic battle outfit. Those long legs and those bare shoulders…

Raven cleared her throat pointedly.

Mortified, Robin quickly shielded his thoughts. "Uh… Sure, if you want," he said, blushing.

With an excited squeal, Starfire darted off, air wafting behind her. Argent moved in to make a few adjustments, conjuring scarlet pins with her powers.

"Anything too tight or too loose?" she asked.

Robin picked at the collar of the cowl, scratching. "This fabric is nothing like high-performance kevlar," he complained. "It's too light and it itches."

"'s'not designed for comfort, darling, it's to look good in pictures," Argent told him, taking in the seam of one leg. "You want it to be functional, I'd 'ave to ask Batman himself for his texile construction secrets. And his fabric supplier."

Robin winced. "Yeah, that's not happening."

"Precisely."

"Robin!" called Starfire from down the hallway. "Does this meet with your approval?"

_That was quick,_ Robin thought, turning his head so he could see her… and then promptly losing all sense of himself.

It looked even better on her than he'd thought it would.

Raven noted Robin's mental catatonia with a chuckle. "Of course," she laughed. "I think it does, Starfire," she told the girl. "I think it definitely does."

Starfire giggled happily, enjoying the pink tones in Robin's face.


	24. RobStar Week 2018, Day 3 - Dance

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I suppose I could have gone more traditional with this prompt, done something related to "Date With Destiny" or what have you.
> 
> Buuuuuut this idea was funnier.

"Okay, fess up," Robin said with narrowed eyes to Cyborg and Beast Boy, who had their hands behind their backs looking very innocent. "Which one of you spiked the drinks?"

"What an accusation, Robin," Cyborg exclaimed in feigned indigence, a hand over his heart. "That would be completely and totally irresponsible of us."

"Yeah dude," agreed Beast Boy. "'specially since a lot of us are still underage."

"Which one of you was it?" Robin demanded again, sternly.

Beast Boy held up a finger. "In our defense, it was Speedy's idea. And we were left unsupervised."

Robin gave a groaning half-sigh, smearing both hands down his face in aggravation. The raucous cacophony of the party going on behind him blared in his ears: the pounding bass of the music, the whoops and shouts from clearly inebriated invitees, and the repeated banging of the bar manager's head against the wooden whiskey cabinet–a sentiment to which Robin could relate.

"Besides, dude," Beast Boy justified. "This birthday part was, like, totally lame before we did."

"Excuse me a moment," Robin said to the duo, slipping off and heading towards the bar.

Pulling out a wad of cash he thumbed several large bills onto the counter, a sound which made the bar manager look up from his weary thumping in curiosity.

"To cover any damages," the Boy Wonder explained. After a moment of thought, he stepped forward again and put another half-dozen bills on the counter. "And please keep this quiet."

The bar manager scooped up the bills. "Can do," he said, in a seemingly much better mood.

"Aw, c'mon Robin, lighten up!" Beast Boy complained at him from across the way. "Starfire's having fun, see?"

Indeed, the alien princess was in exceedingly good spirits, giggling as she paced around the dance floor, bobbing in time to the beat. She didn't seem terribly intoxicated, maybe just a little buzzed, if her occasional awkwardly-placed step and stumble was any indication.

Upon hearing her name she perked up, spotting Robin and beaming widely. She rushed up to him and grabbed his hand, already pulling him away from the bar and towards the dance floor.

"Come Robin!" she exclaimed. "Come dance with me!"

Her good mood broke past his aggravation and his embarrassment, and Robin allowed the tension in his shoulders and neck to ease. He let his girlfriend pull him to the center of the dance floor, amidst the brightly-flashing multicolored strobe lights. His hands found a comfortable place on her hips, as hers placed themselves around his shoulders. He tried to let himself fall into a gentle sway with her.

Starfire's smile dimmed and she tilted her head in concern.

"Robin? Is there something wrong?"

Robin gestured with his head towards the bar. "Ah, those two knuckleheads decided Speedy's party was boring, so they livened things up by spiking the punch."

"Spiking?" Starfire repeated in confusion.

"Putting alcohol in it. Usually without people's knowledge or permission," he explained.

"Ohhh…" Starfire voiced in understanding, bobbing her head. She peered over Robin's shoulder towards the corner booth, where Speedy was standing shirtless on the table, twirling his shirt and doing pelvic thrusts, completely trashed, and several giggling female Titans were looking on in appreciation. "Is that why everyone is behaving so rowdily?"

"Pretty much," Robin chuckled. His hands slid a little further around her back, drawing her a bit closer. "You don't seem to be much affected by it though."

Starfire shook her head. "Ethanol does not have as strong an effect upon Tamaranians. I was wondering, however, why I did not feel as… coordinated."

Robin grinned. "Don't worry. I gotcha," he promised.

She giggled lightly. "It is not serious. At the least, I am in no danger of embarrassing myself." She sent a pointed glance towards Speedy's table. "Unlike some of our friends."

Robin gave in to hysterical giggles, burying his face in Starfire's shoulder as they swayed, in bewilderment of just how absurd the whole situation was.

"Robin?" Starfire called, amused.

He just shook his head.

"I can't," he said. "It's just… I am never gonna be able to look at him straight after this."

"It is quite amusing," Starfire agreed. She nudged him, urging him to lift his head. "Now please," she encouraged, "do the lightening up and enjoy yourself."

The blaring bass seemed in tune with Robin's pulse, and the wild atmosphere evoked a trickle of an adrenaline rush inside him. Even though he hadn't had much to drink before discovering Cyborg and Beast Boy's unpleasant surprise, he still felt the warm flush of it tingling just beneath his skin.

_Ah, what the hell._

He had his gorgeous alien girlfriend in his arms, they were among friends, and it _was_ a party.

He was still sticking Cyborg and Beast Boy with fridge-cleaning duty for the whole next week for this though.

He raised his head, finding a swing in time with the beat and losing himself in the music as he and Starfire weaved up and down the dance floor.


	25. RobStar Week 2018, Day 4 - "Tokyo Nights"

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Semi-sequel to "Aishiteru" from my "Date Night Drabbles" fic (which will be cross-posted here soon but in the meantime can be read as FFnet), but can easily be read as a standalone.

Neon lights bathed their faces in a rainbow of color. The two of them ambled along slowly down the street, just enjoying the cool night atmosphere and the gentle bustle of the evening.

Starfire leaned her shoulder against his, tilting her head to rest against the side of his.

"It is… nice to be back here," she sighed happily.

Robin agreed with a nod. "It's a little surreal, almost."

"In what way?" Starfire plied him.

Robin thought about how to phrase it. "Well… even though it's only been a year it feels… longer somehow," he said.

"Hm," considered Starfire, her eyes pausing on a beautiful window display as they passed by. "To me it seems the opposite—that it was just yesterday that you confessed your feelings for me." Smiling, Starfire shook herself back to the present. "It has been a wonderfully happy blur."

Robin squeezed her hand a little tighter. "Yeah," he agreed. "Being with you is… well, it's… uh…" Words failed him. He ducked his head, blushing a little.

Starfire patiently waited for him to reassemble himself, suppressing an urge to giggle at his stammering. Even after a year she could still fluster him. It was rather adorable, actually.

"Yes?" she prompted him gently.

He looked at her with a serious earnestness that made her insides melt.

"It feels… _right._ "

Joy bubbled inside her, so much she had to make a conscious effort not to start floating.

Robin grimaced. "Too much?" he asked.

She laughed lightly. "I am fine. I enjoy it when you make me float," she told him. Glancing on ahead she asked, "Should we get dinner? I am feeling a little 'peckish' as they say, but I am not quite ready to eat."

"Me neither," said Robin. He stepped a little bit away from her, still holding her hand. "Actually," he told her, "I was kind of hoping I could buy you a new yukata."

Starfire tilted her head in interest, grinning broadly. "Oh?"

Almost sheepishly, hand on the back of his head, Robin continued, "You just looked so beautiful in the last one we got."

Warm flutters bubbled around inside her and this time she did lift up a few inches. "Oh, I do so wish we could find Mariko and Daisuke's shop again" she said, looking down the street as if she could summon the shop in question. "They were so welcoming the last time we were here!"

Robin gripped her hand tight, swinging around in front of her and offering his other hand too. "Tell you what, let's take to the air and fly for a bit. I'm sure we'll find it."

Starfire accepted the proposal with a grin, taking his hands and lifting up.

The neon lights of a thousand shop signs became a brilliantly patterned quilt as she rose up higher and higher, the chilly night breeze wafting through their hair and clothes, smelling of dew and rain. Exhilarated, Starfire tightened her grasp on Robin's wrists, increasing speed and taking them on a fast flyover of the city.

Glimmering city lights dazzled her eyes. Buildings crowded together in mesmerizing blocks, and the land rose and fell beneath them.

She was too high up to realistically spot the shop they were looking for, but Robin didn't seem to mind, just enjoying the view and whooping every time she took a dive.

Joy pinged around her body, lending strength to her flight, making her feel made of sparkling stardust.

 _Yes_ , she thought, as she slowed down a little, taking their flight a little more leisurely. _It is good to be back here._

With that thought in mind she began to descend, searching the streets idly for the clothing shop they had patroned the last time. Robin was right, a new yukata would be the perfect anniversary gift.


	26. RobStar Week 2018, Day 5 - Genderbend/Gender Swap

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one was really fun! I liked doing Robin as an awkward insecure heroine and Starfire as a charming sweet romantic.

Robin clutched the pillow tighter to her stomach, as if squeezing it would make the tumultuous storm of feelings inside her spill out the cracks. Her legs curled up closer to her chest as she lay on the bed, a position she had been in for hours now.

Yesterday the Titans had returned from their wayward voyage in space, the T-ship a little banged up and shuddering from the crash but otherwise functioning, the Titans themselves all unharmed, one question about the nature of her relationship with their resident Tamaranian answered—yes, she did in fact like him Like That—and a _whole_ slew of new ones dumped on her to process.

Like, were they dating now? Was that the next step to take here? Should she ask him out? Should she wait for him to ask her? Did he even know anything about Earth dating customs? His comment on the planet about "enjoyable recreation" and "the buying of bountiful floral arrangements" seemed to indicate he did know _something_. But to what extent? Should she explain it to him? Should she just wing it? They'd both acknowledged that they had feelings for each other, okay, great, but what next?

Batman would never approve of a relationship with a teammate, of that she was certain. But then another part of her just wanted to jump right in anyway, just to stick it to the overprotective old man.

She sighed in frustration. Her maybe would-be alien boyfriend had seemed to sense that she needed some space to figure things out and hadn't brought up the topic, had allowed her to avoid him completely and hide in her room in fact.

He was so understanding. She didn't deserve him.

Cripes, why were feelings so _hard?_

There came a knock on her door, sharp and tapping.

Robin rolled over, gripped her pillow with tight fingers and yanked it away from her chest in order to smother it over her head. "Go _away_ Crow," she groaned. She pressed the pillow over her ears, projecting annoyance through her mental bond with the Titans' empath. "I don't need to talk about my repressed feelings for Firestar, okay?" she said, her words muffled by the bedcovers.

There was an awkward cough from outside the door.

"Um, actually…" a horribly familiar voice said, "It is me."

 _Oh-ho-ho-ho-ho_ … came the realization, accompanied by a simultaneous cold sinking in her stomach, a shot of adrenaline through her chest, and an internal scream throughout her head.

Mortified, Robin peeled the pillow off her hair and sat up. She took a moment to try and compose herself, inhaling a deep breath.

With some trepidation, she got up and walked over to the door, opening it.

Firestar stood there uncertainly, staring down at his shoes, one hand rubbing his arm. Looking perfect as always with his flaming red hair, sharp features, and well-toned figure. Robin had to shake herself before she could drift off into a befuddled stupor, before the sight of him caused all her thoughts to disappear.

She felt heat creeping across her cheeks and cleared her throat.

"You uh… heard all that huh?" she said, chagrined.

Firestar was finding the floor exceptionally interesting. "Indeed," he replied.

The awkward silence stretched out between them.

"So, um…" Robin began, her hands drifting up to rest on the doorframe. "Did… did you want something?"

The Tamaranian scuffed the floor with his boot. "I wished to see if you wanted to talk about… what happened when we were stranded on that planet."

Robin wilted. "Right," she squeaked. "Of course." Duh. What else was she expecting? She knew she had to face this conversation eventually. "What, uh… what about it?" she asked, her heart beating faster inside her chest.

"You confessed your feelings for me."

Robin laughed nervously. "Yeah I kind of did, didn't I?"

Firestar let go of his arm and scratched behind his ear self-consciously, still not meeting her eyes. "And I am just wondering… what is supposed to happen next?" he asked.

"Honestly? I'm not sure myself," Robin confessed. She stepped away from the doorframe, raking her fingers through her scalp. "Look, Kor… I…" Her tongue stumbled over itself. "It's… it's not that… I just…" She yanked on her long black hair in frustration. "Gah! Why is it so hard to talk around you?"

The ghost of a smile came to Firestar's lips. "Do I make you 'the flustered'?" he quipped.

"Very!" she cried. Robin exhaled, letting out some tension. "Sorry for being all weird," she apologized. "I've just been so mixed up since we were stranded on that planet and… blast it, I like you! A lot!" she said, her eyes crinkling, face twisting with emotion. "I just don't know what to _do_ about it!" she complained.

Firestar brought his hands down, tapping the tips of his fingers together, eyes on the floor. "What would you _like_ to do about it?" he asked.

"I… I'm not sure."

Several long moments passed.

Robin felt the flush in her face rising up to tickle her hairline. She coughed again. "What, uh… what would _you_ like to do?" she asked, though not without some trepidation.

He gave her a shy smile, green eyes heart-melting. "I would very much like to kiss you," he said.

Her heart twisted around itself with mixed elation and dread. "I don't think I'm quite ready for that yet," she said, face wrinkling.

"Then… may we hold hands?" he offered instead.

_Well…_

He held a hand out to her, his face quietly hopeful.

She stared at it for a while.

Then, creeping slowly inch by inch, she reached out with her own hand, her fingers brushing over his palm before sliding neatly into place between his.

She shuddered out an exhale.

It was… really nice, actually.

"Okay…" she breathed. "Um… I think…" She shook her head to clear out the sudden fuzziness. "Do you want to go somewhere tonight? Just the two of us?" She couldn't believe this was happening. "Maybe to, like… the movies or something?"

The Tamaranian gave a whoop and pulled her to him in an instant, arms coming around her for a hug.

"It is a date!" he squealed happily.

Robin strained from where her cheek was squished against his collar, his arms squeezing harder than was comfortable. "Kor…" she wheezed. "…lungs… please…"

"Oh!" he mouthed, letting go and stepping back at once. "I am sorry!"

Robin gasped as air came back to her lungs, a grin nonetheless turning up her face. "Right!" she said, straightening and putting herself arights. "Meet on the Tower roof at five. I'll see you then." Realizing something she backtracked. "Uh, I mean… I might see you before then. We do both live in the Tower after all and… yeah so it's not like I'll be avoiding you or any…" She gulped, pulling at her collar. "Is it hot in here?"

"I do not notice any temperature difference," Firestar said, confused.

"AnywayseeyouthenBYE!" Robin squeaked, fleeing through the door and mashing the button to seal it behind her.

She needed a moment or two to calm down. Then, she crossed the room towards her closet, in search of something to wear.

With just a little bit of a spring in her step.

* * *


	27. RobStar Week 2018, Day 6 - Passionate

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I mostly did this prompt this way because I wanted to write protective Robin angrily tossing aside mooks in order to save Starfire. :)

Starfire shifted, snuggling closer to him. Robin adjusted his arm accordingly, both of them settling back down into a comfortable reclining position on the couch. The blue light of the TV flickered across their faces in the dimmed OPS room, the hidden speakers blaring out the bombastic fanfare of the show's main theme.

Her ear rested on his chest as she watched the screen, enraptured.

The hero had just kicked in the door of his nemesis's hideout, and was brandishing his sword threateningly.

"Oh… he is outnumbered," she said worriedly, as the camera pulled back to reveal a roomful of opponents.

Robin pinched a strand of her hair, running it through his fingers idly. "It's okay. See look—Takane's there," he told her, pointing. He smiled. "He's not gonna let a bunch of two-bit goons keep her from him."

Starfire giggled in delight.

Indeed, the hero was facing the far side of the room where the villain was blocking the way to a gilded cage with a pretty girl trapped inside it. Now he was speaking sternly in Japanese and demanding the fiend release his love interest.

The villain issued some kind of challenge and without any further hesitation the hero leapt into battle.

The couple watched and enjoyed the fluidly-animated action scene for a bit, then Starfire stirred, turning her head and resting her chin on Robin's emblem.

"Robin?" she called.

His eyes glanced down at her. "Yeah Star?"

"If I was captured and being held prisoner, do you think you would charge in to rescue me in the same impassioned fashion?" she asked.

Robin dropped the hair he was playing with and wrapped his arms around her, squeezing tightly. "I hope I'd never have to," he said solemnly. "But yeah, I would. You know I would."

Starfire beamed, laying back down on his chest.

"I am happy to hear that," she sighed happily.

-TT-

An explosion rocked the entranceway, flinging a few mooks through the air. Professor Chang started from his work, almost leaping in his fright.

"What in the world?" he blurted.

Bursting through the smoke and dust to body-check another technician, sending him hurtling to the floor, a furious Robin emerged. His face was burning with anger.

" _Let her go!"_ he screamed, already charging forward with a lurch, bird-a-rang out.

Even in her weakened, energy-drained state, Starfire grinned at the sight of him. Chang, meanwhile, took several panicked steps back.

"S-stop him!" he ordered his minions.

A half-dozen converged on the Boy Wonder, who had already elbow-butted another two out of his way, hurling the bird-a-rang. Sparks bounced off the metal railing of the elevated platform, causing Chang to jump and fall backwards towards the foot of Starfire's table.

Robin practically roared as he punched and kicked his way through the mob blocking him. Another bird-a-rang was pulled from his belt and loosed.

This one hit its mark, burying in the controls of the device sapping Starfire of her power. Electricity arced, the controls sparked and popped loudly, and hot power surged back through Starfire's body.

She burst forth from the restraints in a single motion, blasting the surrounding area with starbolt energy. Chang shrieked again, tossed towards the other end of the platform this time.

Starfire grabbed him up, glowing green eyes burning into him.

"I suggest you surrender," she growled.

Chang gave a pitiful squeak and fainted dead away in her grasp. Starfire dropped him and turned towards the ladder, where Robin was just rushing up, the mooks all prone on the ground behind him.

Her grin spread wider on her face… and then she wobbled dizzily.

He rushed up to catch her, grabbing onto her arms, pulling her back onto her feet. His face twisted with worry.

"Star? Star, are you okay?" he called.

Her arms fell heavily across his shoulders as she slumped into him. "I am… okay…" she promised. "I am happy you are here."

"I'm sorry," he whispered, arms coming around her tightly. "I'm sorry, when I saw the transmission I just couldn't think of anything else but getting you back. I know I jeopardized the mission, I just couldn't—"

"Shh," she breathed in his ear. "None of that."

Choking back his emotions, Robin reached up, cupping her face and pulling her to him for a deep kiss.

Starfire melted into it, adrenaline rush calming into a sleepy contentment.


	28. RobStar Week 2018, Day 7 - Heartbeat

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wouldn't be RobStar Week without me sneaking in at least one mention of Mar'i.

Starfire swallowed down the bile that was threatening to rise up her throat, a prickling anxiety creeping over her skin. Adjusting herself on the medical gurney, she maneuvered her slightly rotund belly into a good position.

"Okay…" said Cyborg, standing to the side and pressing buttons on his arm display. "Give me just a moment to bring my sensors up."

She exhaled shakily, chills moving across her shoulders. To her left, Robin watched in worry, his hand creeping up towards where hers was gripping the bar.

A few moments passed, with Cyborg acutely aware of the tension in the room.

He offered what he hoped was a reassuring smile.

"I'm sure she's fine," he told Starfire. "Her mama's a lot tougher than most women." He worked quickly, bringing the program up. "Gonna take a lot more than a little hit to the stomach to hurt either of you."

Starfire's own smile was strained, pinched beneath tight brows. "I am sure you are right," she said. "I just wish to be… certain," she said, eyes darting towards Robin.

He clasped her hand tightly, a silent reassurance, though his pulse was dancing a nervous rhythm.

He wasn't going to scold her for disobeying orders and charging into battle. Not now. He'd known he couldn't force Starfire into inaction and bedrest forever, and he wouldn't have wanted to. He just wished she hadn't picked this fight to burst in on, wished she'd been more careful around Cinderblock's flailing fists, wished Raven had been there, to take a quick empathic peek and put their minds at ease right away.

Cyborg pressed one final button and then straightened, leaning in and holding his arm out over Starfire's pregnant belly.

They waited a horrible, silent moment.

Then—

_Bdmpbdmpbdmpbdmpbdmpbdmp…_

The tension flooded out of the room with their simultaneous sighs. Robin's tightened muscles relaxed, and Starfire all but slumped limply into the back of the gurney.

"One eighty over sixty. Nice and strong." Cyborg grinned broadly, lowering his arm and patting Starfire on the shoulder. "See, what'd I tell ya? She's just fine."

"God…" Robin breathed, lowering his head, resting his forehead wearily on the bar, cradling Starfire's hand. "Don't scare me like that Starfire. If you got hurt I just…"

"I am sorry," she whispered in apology, reaching her other hand out to stroke his hair. "I was unused to the extra weight and it slowed me down. It will not happen again," she promised.

He raised his head, kissing the back of her palm as he did so, expression happier. "I'm not mad," he said. "I'm just… I'm glad you're both okay."

They exchanged relieved smiles, the anxiety in their hearts beginning to calm. Starfire looked down, rubbing a hand over her stomach. Their daughter fluttered, shifting position, the first movement she'd felt since the incident.

And all her fears melted away.

* * *


	29. RobStar Week 2019, Day 1 - Wayne Manor

Dick rubbed his eyes blearily as he wandered down the carpeted halls. Early morning sunlight was just beginning to filter in through the tall, curtain-lined windows. He drifted down the large central staircase, one hand sliding idly on the wooden rail, heading for the kitchen.

The faint fragrance of breakfast was already wafting through the manor. Fresh toast, frying bacon, probably eggs and hashbrowns too. And he thought he could detect a faint sugary whiff of Alfred's famous citrus scones.

The smell stirred hunger in the pit of his stomach. Dick yawned, stretching his arms over his head, walking resolutely for the slant of yellow light from the kitchen spilling into the hallway.

His steps slowed a moment. His eyes wrinkled, puzzled. Alfred's voice was coming from the doorway, conversing lightly with someone. The other person was younger-sounding, their voice soft and lilting. And... familiar.

In confusion he crept the last few paces to the door, rounding it and stepping inside the kitchen.

He froze, his eyes widening.

Alfred glanced up from where he was elbow deep in dough, white powder coating his arms. And sitting on a wooden stool by the counter watching, as though it was perfectly natural for her to be there, was Starfire, whose expression brightened when she saw him.

His mouth dropped open. "Star!" he exclaimed, unable to hide his surprise and _delight._

She giggled, popping off the stool and beelining to him. Their arms wrapped around each other's, the firm squeezing pressure of her embrace assuring him that yes, this was real, this wasn't a dream.

She was really there.

Starfire drew back, beaming from cheek to cheek. "Surprised?" she said.

Dick stumbled over his words, befuddled. "I... how... when..." He shook his head. "What are you doing here?" he asked, gazing at her in wonder.

"Last night, when you called, you expressed the feelings of loneliness," she explained, clasping her hands behind her back. "I determined that I would come see you."

"So you..." He remembered the conversation; it had taken place shortly before he'd turned in for the night. He gaped at her. "Did you fly all the way here from Jump? In five hours?"

"Robin, I am capable of faster than light travel on my own power," she reminded him, her tone slightly weary.

"Star, that's not the point," he said in a rush, on the tail end of her sentence. "I just..." He shook his head again, then waved off his confusion and grinned broadly. "I can't believe you're here, it's so good to see you!" he cried, lunging forward and wrapping her up again. His arms clenched tighter around her, her familiar smell and the soft feel of her warm skin sinking into him. "I missed you," he whispered reverently.

She threaded her fingers through his hair, murmuring into his ear. "I know. That is why I came."

He held her a moment or two longer, lingering in the embrace. "When did you get in?" he asked when he finally pulled back.

It was Alfred who answered. "She arrived at about six o'clock this morning," he reported crisply, plopping a glob of dough onto a cutting board. "I was just freshening up the gallery when she knocked."

Starfire brightened at the memory. "Oh! Robin, there are such beautiful paintings in there! You never told me the Batman was interested in fine art."

"He's not, not really." Dick rubbed his neck as he followed Starfire back to the kitchen counter, taking a stool next to hers. "I think most of them are family heirlooms, actually."

"Indeed," Alfred confirmed, starting to separate the dough into smaller segments. "The Valencio you were admiring in the foyer is nearly two hundred years old," he told the girl, a small, proud smile coming to his face. Dick could tell he was delighted at finally having an attentive audience for his stories.

"Fascinating!" Starfire gasped. She turned back to him. "Robin? Would it be too much to ask for a tour once we have finished our meal?"

Dick looked in turn to Alfred. "Would that be okay?"

Alfred's expression was unflappable, his concentration firmly on his work as he replied, "You would have to ask Master Bruce's permission first. But I would certainly not be opposed." He leaned back with a smile. "Miss Starfire, if you would please, fetch me the milk and two oranges from the refrigerator."

She rushed eagerly to oblige, fetching the items shortly.

The three of them chatted while the scones baked, plating the bacon and hashbrowns and cutting up chunks of ruby red grapefruit. Dick poured Starfire a tall glass of orange juice and was getting one for himself when Bruce wandered in, mussy-haired and yawning.

"Mornin' Alfred," he mumbled, going straight for the coffee maker on the other side of the kitchen.

"Master Bruce," Alfred said, stepping back to assume a clipped, formal posture. "Breakfast will be on in eight minutes. Will you be eating here or in the dining hall?"

"Here's fine," the man replied absently, shaking out the coffee grounds. He didn't seem fully awake yet, at least, not enough to have noticed Starfire's presence.

When a long minute passed with Bruce's attention firmly on his brewing coffee, Alfred cleared his throat.

"Sir? We have a guest this morning," he pointed out, a bit stiffly.

"What?" Bruce blurted, finally turning around.

Dick chuckled and Starfire waved politely from her seat on the stool.

Bruce blinked several times, smearing a hand under his eye and finally acknowledging the alien princess.

"Starfire... right?" he asked.

"Yes sir."

He payed a squinted-eyed look at Dick. "What's she doing here?"

Dick crossed his arms a little smugly. "She flew in to see me," he answered.

Bruce processed that, reaching for his freshly-brewed cup and stirring the contents with a spoon. "Overnight?" he said, incredulous.

Starfire smiled and nodded. "Mm-hmm!" she confirmed. Remembering something she straightened. "Oh! And I have almost forgotten!" She reached down for something by the feet of the stool, pulling up a crinkling brown bag with a red and green logo emblazoned on the side. "I stopped by your favorite downtown bakery to get you some of the cinnamon-covered breadsticks you enjoy so much, Robin," she said. Her eyes turned worried as she checked with Bruce. "I hope it is okay that I am here. I do not wish to be a bother, k'norkfa Batman, but Robin told me he was feeling very homesick and..." She trailed off, blushing lightly. "...that he wished he could see me."

There was a moment or two when Dick didn't know how Bruce was going to respond. The man's face was blank, frozen for a minute with some undefinable expression as he watched Starfire pass over the breakfast treats.

Then he pointed his spoon at her, his face cracking a smile.

"She's a keeper, Dick," he told the boy.

Tension he hadn't realized he was holding seeped out, Dick putting a hand around her waist proudly. "Thanks," he said, grinning a little. "I think so too," he quipped.

Starfire giggled at the praise, floating an inch or two off her stool. She reached into the bag and broke off a piece of breadstick, holding it out towards Alfred and Bruce.

"Would you like any?" she asked.

"Thank you, I believe I would," Alfred said, plucking the piece from her hand.

Plates clinked and silverware rattled as the four of them settled down to eat, and Dick didn't take his hand from Starfire's the whole time.


	30. RobStar Week 2019, Day 2 - Stardust

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Out of all the prompts this year, this one was the one I was looking forward to writing the most. I think I pretty much knew exactly what I wanted to do fairly quickly. And I tried to make it as ridiculously happy as possible, since it is set during a two-month-long space honeymoon that I headcanon them having.
> 
> Enjoy my lovelies!

A light in the corner of the viewport was the signal that they'd arrived.

Starfire pulled away from their kiss with a happy gasp, running at once to the window and pressing her hands and forehead against the glass.

"Star..." Robin whined, pouting a bit in his seat, the warmth of her lips still lingering on his skin.

"We are here!" Starfire announced, floating from control panel to control panel and rapidly inputting the shutdown sequence, fingers flying across buttons and switches.

Robin straightened up, all thoughts of continuing to make out with his beautiful brand-new wife shelved for the moment. "The comet?" he asked.

Starfire nodded vigorously, firing up the ship's boosters. The _Starchaser_ slowed, brake boosters firing in the opposite direction from ship's now-cooling engines, working against the zero gravity to gradually bring the craft's forward momentum to a slow crawling drift.

Robin walked over to the viewport, peering around the corner as far as he could.

"Woah..." he breathed.

The comet, called Zarthar's Breath by the Tamaranians, was a blue-white ball of light in the distance, breathtaking in its radiance, in the stellar beauty of the ice chunks and burning gases that silted off it in gentle rays and trailed behind it in long streaks.

Starfire joined him at the viewport, giggling. The _Starchaser_ hung silent and almost still in the vastness of space and the two of them watched the comet flying by, passing the window slowly on its inexorable course towards the other end of space.

Warm orange fingers slipped into pale human ones. Starfire peeled her eyes off the dazzling cosmic sight to take in the equally as delightful look of awestruck wonder on Robin's face.

"It's... _amazing!_ " he whispered, his eyes transfixed.

Starfire's heart bubbled with warmth. "Would you like to see it closer?" she offered.

He jerked to face her, excitedly. "Can we? I mean..." He shifted on his feet. "Is it safe?"

She grabbed his wrist, pulling him towards the storage units on the other side of the bridge. "I had Cyborg pack an environmental suit for just this occasion!"

-TT-

The airlock opened with a heavy series of clicks, and from the top of the silver-plated ship they floated up, soundlessly.

Robin gripped her wrist tightly, his fingers clenching as the weightless sensation of space made his stomach drop out. His eyes darted down nervously, but they were already moving away from the airlock door, passing over the hull of the _Starchaser_ with barely a whisper of movement.

He gulped, looking back up at Starfire through the thick glass helmet.

Sensing his unease, she met his eyes and smiled, squeezing his arm through the canvas of his spacesuit reassuringly.

The strength in her hand anchored him, giving him a fixed point in the empty endless vastness to cling to. Robin peeled apart his dry lips.

"Promise you won't let go?" he asked, some lingering hesitation in his voice.

She nodded. "I promise I will not let go," she assured him.

Turning forward, she gently pushed off from the starship's hull.

The stars were like countless tiny jewels hung all around them, sparkling in white and yellow pinpoints from all directions. The two of them moved like floating feathers through the expanse, the ever-growing form of the comet the only sign that they were actually making forward progress.

Starfire flew them confidently, with all the practiced ease of one who had spent her whole life here. Her grip never faltered. She steered them towards Zarthar's Breath on a straight-line intercept course.

Robin glanced back only once, seeing the _Starchaser_ grow smaller and smaller in the distance—Starfire had assured him the ship would remain relatively in place during their little excursion—before the incredible sight ahead stole his attention and breath.

The comet's core hurtled through space below them, almost blinding. The coma and tail flaring out around and behind it left shimmering particles in its wake, tiny dazzling pieces of rock and ice and dust that flickered and went out like tiny embers. In the distance they could see the brilliant crimson sun that was heating up the comet, causing its wondrous display.

Starfire flew them so close they could almost reach out and touch the trailing gases. Robin laughed and wobbled, arms out straight and legs dangling, hearing Starfire's voice and her beautiful laughter through his radio piece, cautioning him to be careful.

He looked up and saw her framed against the celestial backdrop of space, blue-white particles from the comet sifting through her flaming hair like stardust.

His heart tightened, squeezing with barely-contained joy and happiness all over again. This radiant alien princess, the girl who made things like _this_ possible, she was _his_ and she _loved him_. They were _married_. It was all real. Everything.

He'd never know how he'd gotten so lucky.

Starfire swerved around, giddy from the exhilarating brush with the comet, pulling Robin around to face her. She grabbed onto his other wrist and just... spun for a moment, in a slow drifting circle.

"I wish we could fly through the actual tail," she said, moaning a bit at the lost opportunity. "But I am not certain your environmental suit is properly shielded to handle that."

"It's okay," he told her breathlessly, staring into her eyes with the look of absolute adoration she so loved. "That was... _amazing_ , Starfire," he said again. "Definitely one of the highlights of my life."

She tilted her head. "Oh? What are some of the others?"

She spied a grin behind the glass.

"Well, there was Galfore pronouncing us married," Robin said. "And then our wedding night. And getting to kiss you in front of the fireworks display."

Starfire laughed. "That was all yesterday!" she protested.

His helmet bobbed as he shook his head. "I don't think we're ever topping this, Star." His silver-gloved hands tightened around hers. "All this... it's just..."

He trailed off, his blue eyes alight with warmth.

"Glorious?" Starfire finished for him.

"Yeah," he chuckled.

Starfire gently bumped his helmet with her forehead, wishing she could kiss him right there. She straightened, one hand raising.

"We should be getting back to the ship," she said, and she tapped into the wellspring of unbridled joy inside her, letting it course through her veins as she flew them back to the _Starchaser_.

Behind them, Zarthar's Breath continued its eternal dance through space around the glowing red giant, sending dust motes and icicles trailing through the black.


	31. RobStar Week 2019, Day 3 - Lost

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> SPACE HONEYMOON, SPACE HONEYMOON, AND MORE SPACE HONEYMOON because you can't stop me.
> 
> Seriously though, I love writing RobStar in newlywed bliss. I should maybe do a whole fic for it one day.

"We are _so_ lost," Robin moaned, snuggling closer to Starfire as they lounged under the tropical ferns.

She shifted down a little, so she could lay her head more comfortably on his shoulder. "Indeed," she agreed with a laugh. "But it is not so bad the place to be lost in."

"All things considered, no," added Robin.

They fell into a companionable silence for a while, just lying there and enjoying the feel of each other's skin, the prickly tickle of the sand beneath them, the gentle wafting breeze that floated in and out of the shady trees, rippling the water of the clear blue pond they were next to.

Somewhere off behind them they could hear the steady crash and swell of the ocean. A croaking warble in the canopy signaled the presence of some kind of alien bird. Azure clouds drifted in front of the pink sky they could glimpse between the leafy green branches.

Starfire sighed in contentment, pressing herself closer to Robin.

"I wish we never had to return," she said.

"I know," he told her, arms tightening around her body. "Me too." He rubbed her back, kissing her hair softly, and she melted into him, closing her eyes in bliss.

They stayed that way for several minutes, the pleasant heat of noonday creeping across their skin.

Robin chuckled suddenly.

"What is it?" Starfire asked, turning her head.

"I was just thinking it was a shame we didn't pack any swimsuits," he said. "This is like… perfect pool weather."

An orange finger trailed down his chest and Starfire's face was suddenly very close.

"Who is saying we need the swimsuits?" she teased cheekily, a bit of a purr in her voice. "We _are_ married, after all."

For a second or two Robin was braindead, mutely dazed by her brazen insinuations. "R-right, I mean—" he stammered, his tongue suddenly useless, flailing about. "Of course we don't—I was just—I was—"

He stopped before he could embarrass himself further, shaking his head, kickstarting his thoughts back into order.

"You've _gotta_ stop doing that to me," he complained.

"But it is so delightful to see you flustered," Starfire gushed, smiling, leaning her chin on his sternum and pillowing her arms across his collar. "I do so greatly enjoy your adorable sputtering."

Heat unrelated to the tropical temperature crept a slow path across his face. Robin cleared his throat, straightening.

"In all seriousness though," he said, scooting back and starting to get up. "We probably should find the ship again. At very least because all our food is in there."

Starfire drooped with disappointment only momentarily. "Very well. You are correct." She floated up to her feet with ease, holding out her hand to help Robin up. "Do you remember which direction we came?"

"Uh…" Robin squinted up through the ferns towards the blazing sun above them. "I think we went south, then west for a bit along that ridge. We could retrace our steps up the coastline and then—"

He broke off, smacking the side of his head with the heel of his palm.

"Or I could not be an idiot and remember I married a girl who can fly," he corrected.

She grinned, extending her other hand.

"Shall we?"

His hands found hers and they lifted off, soaring high above the rustling trees in search of the sleek silver gleam that was the _Starchaser_.


	32. RobStar Week 2019, Day 4 - Fever

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Fun story, this was actually the first prompt I wrote. Because of course it was. Because Robin is my favorite and I love hurting him. But it's okay, Starfire is there to pick up the pieces. :)
> 
> Probably the most predictable way I could have filled it but oh well.

He knew something was wrong the moment awareness came to him.

The heat. That was the first thing he noticed. His skin was flushed with it, and the bedcovers seemed to smother him in an oppressive pocket of it. He groaned and moved to push the top layer off him, and that was when he noticed the heaviness, the lethargy in his limbs, sapping at his energy.

Add in the uncomfortable itching at the back of his throat, and it was clear to Robin that he was sick.

Very sick.

His hand fumbled across the nightstand, groping for his alarm clock. He found it finally and lifted it to eye level, peering through blurry eyes at the numbers.  
8:45. Well, at least someone had probably noticed he hadn't gotten up for breakfast yet and would be down to check on him soon. He hoped.

Robin dropped the clock and slumped back down into the pillows.

_I really don't want to get up_ , he thought, miserably. But he should probably take some painkillers… at least.

As he was still trying to summon up enough will to move, he heard a soft knock on his door.

"Robin?" he heard Starfire calling. "Are you awake?"

"Barely," he croaked out.

The door swished open to admit her. Starfire dropped her hand away from the door controls and stepped into the room, concern radiating from her vibrant green eyes.

"You missed Cyborg's chocolate chip pancakes," she told him, crossing the room, her hands fisting in front of her heart.

He buried his nose in the pillow, muttering. "I'm not really hungry."

He felt, more than saw, her come to stand next to the bed. A soft hand touched his forehead, then drew back sharply as Starfire hissed through her teeth.

Robin peeled his face off the pillows and looked at her. She was biting her lip, her face pinched in tight worry, shoulders tense. He reached out a gloved hand to touch her arm reassuringly, and gave her a tired smile.

She relaxed a little bit, but the concern in her eyes did not dim. "Do you require anything?" she asked softly, brushing his sweaty bangs out of his eyes.

"Water would be nice," Robin said, the words pinching and straining through his dry throat. He pulled his arm back under the covers. "And I think we have aspirin in the medicine cupboard. Could you…?"

She nodded, straightening and floating at once out the door.

Robin attempted to sit up while she was gone. The movement made him acutely aware of an _ache_ deep in his limbs and he groaned again, more out of frustration than discomfort.

It just _figured_ that as soon as they'd had a nice lull in crime he wouldn't be able to enjoy it.

Starfire returned momentarily, a glass of water and a pair of small pills in her hands. Wordlessly, she sat down on the edge of the bed and passed them to him.

He took the glass gingerly, popping the pills to the back of his throat and washing them down with a long, careful drag. The cool water trickled down his throat, soothing and easing the persistent itch.

He finished draining the glass and handed it back to her.

"Thanks," he croaked.

She placed the glass on the nightstand, then leaned back again.

"Is there anything else I can do for you?" she asked softly. Her hands drifted, pointing vaguely towards the door. "Perhaps… Raven…?"

Robin shook his head. "You can ask her," he said. "But she'll probably just say we should let this run its course."

Starfire sighed deeply, her helplessness coming through the tone of her breath. "I hate seeing you ill like this," she said quietly, voice wavering.

"I know. I hate it too." His hand drifted across the covers to capture hers and give it a squeeze. "But I'll be okay, Starfire. I always am."

That was a disgusting lie and she saw right through it, making a face. Robin jumped to argue his point.

"Come on, Star, when have I ever gotten sick enough that you've needed to seriously worry?" he pressed.

Her mouth twisted wryly. "Would you like the list alphabetically or in the chronological order?" she asked him.

He grimaced, conceding. "All right," he told her honestly. "I feel… awful. And we should probably be checking my temperature periodically throughout the day. But as long as my fever doesn't get too high, I don't think we have anything to worry about."

Starfire smiled, patting his hand with her other one and then letting go with both and standing up.

"You should rest," she whispered. "I will make sure you are not disturbed."

Robin nodded, sliding back down under the covers. "Wake me up about noonish?" he asked. "I think I might be hungry enough to eat by then."

"I will," she promised.

She smoothed his hair back one last time, leaning down and pressing a quick kiss to his forehead, before standing up and moving off.

Robin was already drifting back to sleep when the door swished behind her.

-TT-

He felt marginally better when he awoke, hours later. The medicine was doing its job to combat his fever and aches. Robin had enough energy to get up and change clothes into something more comfortable than his uniform. He settled back into bed and dozed in and out until Starfire's gentle knock came at his door.

"'m awake," he responded groggily, raising his head.

She stepped through the door, holding a bedtray to her hip. A ladle and a large bowl were on it.

"Are you feeling better?" she asked, swinging the tray around to hold it in front of her.

"A little," he said. He peered at the bowl. "What's that?"

She smiled widely, bringing it to him. "On Tamaran we make this stew to aid in the recovery from common illnesses," she explained. She held the tray out proudly, tilting it a bit so Robin could see the contents of the bowl.

A brown and pink sludge sloshed in the bowl, bringing floating white and green bits to the surface. Robin stared down at it apprehensively, his brain trying to think of a polite way to phrase his… _many_ questions.

"Uh…" he could only say, instead.

Starfire giggled. "It is safe for human consumption," she assured him, deciphering his most pressing concern. "Cyborg and Beast Boy have both tried it." She carefully set the tray down on the bedcovers, picking up the ladle and spooning the concoction into a smaller bowl for him. "They warned me it was rather bitter, though, so I have brought some honey, if you wish to use it," she offered, holding out the smaller bowl to him and nudging a golden-colored jar on the tray he hadn't noticed.

He took the bowl with both hands. The warmth he felt through the ceramic was pleasant, and the steam that wafted up from the stew smelled… rather good actually. Like a mixture of fruit and broth.

He accepted a spoon from Starfire and dug in, scooping a small chunk and taking a tentative taste.

It was a bit bitter, as Cyborg and Beast Boy had diagnosed, but not overwhelmingly so. There was a vague fruitlike taste, but not something he could easily place. Probably not something Earth-grown. Texture akin to oatmeal, going down his throat with the same warm and comforting smoothness. A little cinnamon and sugar and it almost could be one of Alfred's hearty breakfast meals.

He sighed with contentment after he swallowed.

"It's good," he told her. "Thank you."

Starfire beamed broadly. "Is there anything else you would like?" she offered, shifting on the bed in preparation to stand back up.

Robin smiled at her. "I'd really like to kiss you," he joked. He gestured towards himself. "But I don't want you to catch this."

"Yes, that would be best," she bantered back. She did give him a kiss though, pressing her lips to his forehead again, gently. "Call for me?" she said.

He nodded. "Always."

With that she left him to his stew and his slow recovery.


	33. RobStar Week 2019, Day 5 - Blush

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> BOY DORKWAD INCOMING.
> 
> One of the earliest things about Robin and Starfire's relationship that I fell in love with was just how utterly awkward and flailing Robin could get when he was fumbling all around Starfire like a braindead idiot. So naturally this prompt was the perfect excuse for that.

It was only a week after he and Starfire had moved into the new Titans Tower with the others that Robin realized the alien girl's cultural standards of modesty were very different from his.

He had walked into the common room, heading for the kitchen area absentmindedly, and caught a flashing glimpse of entirely more orange skin than he'd been expecting, silhouetted against the large window.

"Ack!" he cried, throwing up a hand at once, his eyes snapping shut.

Starfire turned around. "Robin!" she exclaimed happily, seemingly undisturbed by her current state of undress, as well as him seeing her in said state. "The good morning to you! I hope you slept well!"

"Star…" Robin strained out, very determinedly holding position. "Wh… why aren't you wearing clothes?"

"Hmm?" she inquired, tilting her head. "Oh! I am taking in the morning's sunlight. Tamaranians absorb solar energy through our skin," she explained.

"I never…" Robin sputtered, feeling his face warming up. "When we were rooming together I never saw you… You were never…" He trailed off, unable to make himself say the word 'naked', as if merely speaking the syllables would strip away all his carefully cultivated professional defenses and leave him the uselessly inarticulate hormone-charged teenager that he was.

…Actually that may have already happened.

"My apologies. The apartment windows were not facing an ideal direction for my normal morning routine." Concern pinched in her green eyes, her brows knitting over her nose. "Is there something the matter, Robin? Your face is changing color quite dramatically."

From that comment and the burning heat he could feel across his whole face, Robin guessed he must have turned very red indeed.

"You know you're naked, right?" he squeaked.

"Yes? Is that a problem?"

A wordless scream passed through his head. Robin took a deep breath and steeled himself, willing his heartbeat to stop pounding and his brain to stop freaking out.

"Okay, um… On Earth it's… it's not really considered _modest_ to…"

Starfire's concern grew as Robin seemed to darken another shade.

"…to be nude in public," he finished.

"But we are not in public," she pointed out, gesturing to the room around them. "We are in our own residence and home."

"I mean—!" Robin corrected quickly. "—with people you don't know. People you're not close to. Especially someone of the opposite sex," he blurted out.

"I do not understand."

Starfire stepped closer, her bare feet making soft crunches on the new carpet, and it took all of Robin's willpower not to open his eyes. He squeezed his face tighter, flinching.

"You are my friend, correct? Are we _not_ 'close'?" Starfire's eyes were full of distress now, as the language filter in her head tried valiantly to make sense of the word and its underlying contexts, its deeper meanings.

Robin muttered at the floor as he answered, "Star, I've barely known you a month." He finally let his hand drop back to his side, both fists curling tightly, but kept his eyes firmly closed. "It's… Being naked around someone is supposed to be a show of intimacy. A sign of trust and a willingness to let another person see you at your most vulnerable." He spoke carefully, with an even tone of voice, trying to make her understand. "It's… it's not really _done_ around people you just met."

Intimacy. The word clicked something into place inside Starfire's head. _Private. Special. Reserved._

"Ohhh," she breathed in understanding. "I see…" Robin was trying to tell her that, according to Earth custom, they weren't _close_ enough, he wasn't allowed to see her undressed yet. They weren't at deep enough a stage of their relationship. Of course. They _had_ just met, after all. Her head drooped, her chin dipping. "I am sorry for making you uncomfortable," she said, truly apologetic now. The last thing she had ever wanted was to cause him discomfort, do anything to make him… not want her around.

"It's… okay," Robin said, forcing the words out. "Just… just please go put on some clothes," he begged her.

"Very well," she agreed, taking off and floating past him.

Robin held in his breath until he heard her pass behind him, and finally opened his eyes, letting out a long puff of relief.

The door swished open as Starfire approached it, a yawning Beast Boy walking past as Starfire made her way out.

Five steps into the room and the door already closed behind him, the changeling blinked hard and double-took.

"Wait, was that…" he said. He thumbed over his shoulder at the door. "Was Starfire _naked?_ "

"Don't remind me," Robin muttered, his hands over his face, willing the color in his cheeks to fade.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Serial monogamist Dick Grayson FTW.


	34. RobStar Week 2019, Day 6 - Children

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Enjoy this last fluffy chapter, "Jewel" wound up unexpected angsty. You're all gonna hate me. XD

"Almost time to pack it up," Cyborg announced, stowing the last of their coolers in the trunk of the T-car. "Anyone see BB or Robin?"

Raven swept crumbs off the paper tablecloth, handing another patron a tall red plastic cup of ice water. "Beast Boy was over by the bounce houses, last I saw him."

Starfire nodded to the woman Raven had just served, offering her one of the melting ice pops from the cooler at her feet. "I believe Robin went to relieve the volunteer that was watching the playground," she said.

She stood from her seat behind the booth, smoothing out her skirt.

"Shall I go inform him?" she asked.

"Yeah, go ahead," said Cyborg. "Probably need his dexterous acrobat hands to get these monsters folded," he went on, giving the flimsy-looking fold-up table a small grumpy kick. The devices had been a nightmare to set up that morning, and the family festival had been going for at least ten minutes before the Titans had managed to get them in place and stacked high with water and refreshments for the people present.

Starfire nodded, then took to the air to float above the grounds.

Jump City Central Park had been transformed into a staging area for the annual Family Funday Festival. Multiple teams of city workers—firemen, police officers, EMTs, and of course the Titans—had pulled together a day of food and activities for the locals. There were snack shops and booths selling toys and trinkets, a face-painting station and petting zoo for the little ones, even a miniature rollercoaster and an obstacle course for the older kids. Parents and other adults had brought their own lawn chairs and chatted with each other as the community band played rousing tunes that drifted up as cheerful background noise under the animated conversation.

Starfire's eyes searched for only a moment or two before she spotted Robin's familiar red and green uniform, and descended towards him.

He was supervising a pair of siblings—twin boys it looked like—swinging wildly on the monkey bars, screaming in delight and kicking at each other with their shoes, playfighting as they dangled.

"Legs up Eli, don't let him get you!" he was laughing.

Starfire dropped to the edge of the playground area with a smile, watching the children run and jump and chase each other around the equipment. She always enjoyed watching young Earthlings play. They seemed so carefree, unburdened by anything. She envied their freedom sometimes.

Eli suddenly lost his grip on the bars after one of his brother's harder play-kicks and slipped off, falling to the chalky gravel below.

Starfire gasped and started forward, but Robin was already there, one hand on the boy's back.

"You okay?" he asked.

Eli's small face was wide-eyed and closed mouthed like he was still trying to decide that. His eyes squinched, not crying yet, only threatening tears, and his little lip trembled.

Robin held out a hand gently. "Can you stand up?"

That seemed to give Eli a bit of courage and he nodded. "Uh… uh-huh," he squeaked, taking the Boy Wonder's hand and letting the older teen stand him on his feet.

Robin brushed the dust off the boy's front, checking him over.

"Does it hurt anywhere?"

Eli pointed. "My leg."

Robin smiled at him. "All right, let's check." He made a show of looking down the child's leg with his eyes and popped back up with a cheerful. "Nope! No bleeding! I think you're okay."

The little boy giggled, face breaking into a grin.

Starfire felt her heart turn very warm, gazing at the sight.

 _He is so good with children_ , she thought. _He is always so patient and kind with them._

He would make a great father.

Almost as soon as the notion crossed her mind her chest gave an unexpected wrench. She gasped softly, one hand straying up to clutch over her breastbone.

All of a sudden she _ached_ to see it, to see Robin playing with children with green eyes and red or black hair, laughing, happy, calling to her excitedly.

She shook herself, and the ache dimmed, but her chest was still reverberating with warmth from the precious image. She composed herself before calling out to him.

"Robin?"

He glanced her way, then pushed Eli and his brother off to continue playing, trotting up to her.

"Hey Star. What's up?"

"Cyborg wished to inform you that it will be time to leave soon," Starfire said evenly, keeping the overwhelming affection she felt for him from inflecting her voice.

"All right," Robin acknowledged. He waved over another volunteer. "I'm being called back, can you take it from here?"

"Sure thing," the teen girl nodded.

He turned back and noticed Starfire beaming at him, looking at him like he was the most beautiful thing she'd ever seen.

He flushed a little, self-consciously. "What?" he asked.

A contented sigh emanated from her. "Nothing," she said. "I just… enjoy watching you interact with little ones," she told him. "You relate so well to them."

He grinned, waving that off humbly. "Ah, you pick up a few things when you work with Batman."

"Oh?" Starfire voiced in surprise.

"He might be terrifying to criminals, but he's… actually really good around kids," Robin explained. "He's really gentle with them." His eyes got some faraway look behind the mask and his voice dropped lower. "Makes them feel safe," he finished.

Starfire waited patiently until Robin pulled himself out of whatever memory had been brought to the fore and held out his hand with a smile.

"So, ready to go?" he asked.

She paid one more longing look at the young Earthlings running all over the playground and then slipped her hand into his.

"Yes."


	35. RobStar Week 2019, Day 7 - Jewel

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LAST PROMPT OF 2019! Wooo!
> 
> I had ridiculous fun with this one. I didn't want to go the generic route and have Robin looking for jewelry for Starfire so I wound up wholecloth creating a crystal-based villain for the Titans to fight. And then I had to add enough of a plot for people to follow along.
> 
> And then I made it angsty.
> 
> Enjoy!

"Great. _Now_ which way do we go?" complained Beast Boy as the four of them came to another underground junction. A half-dozen different tunnels branched off the main one, twisting this way and that into darkness.

Raven's eyes were closed in concentration, her hands pressed to her temples. She faced one tunnel, then another, feeling out with her empathic senses.

"Something's wrong," she told them, her face squeezing tighter as she strained. "I can't sense him anymore. It's like something's blocking me."

Starfire's throat tightened up in alarm. The hand holding aloft the starbolt to illuminate their path wavered, trembling. Her nails dug into her palms, white-knuckled.

Seeing the worry and fear written all over her face, Cyborg jumped in, bringing up his arm. "Well, maybe we can still track Crystallis," he suggested, pulling up his sensor program. He tapped buttons for a moment or two, letting his advanced technology scan the paths ahead.

After a minute he straightened.

"Got it. Two heartbeats, and strong energy readings, about fifty yards down," he said.

"'kay..." Beast Boy considered, peering at the branching tunnels. They veered off into inky darkness steps from their openings; it was impossible to tell which one went which way. "Which one goes down?"

Raven opened her eyes, her brows still furrowed, thinking. She reached out and put a hand on Starfire's shoulder.

"Starfire, turn off your starbolts for a moment," she instructed.

Starfire did as she was told, dispelling the glowing green ball of energy and plunging them into near total darkness.

The Titans stood there. Blinked. Waited as their eyes adjusted to the dark.

The Tamaranian was the first to spot it, and gave a gasp. "There!" she said, pointing.

Down one of the tunnels, the one slightly to their right and angling south, there was a faint blue-green glow, creeping across the earthen walls.

Starfire took point, rushing to that tunnel's opening before slowing, cautiously floating through the long corridor. The others were not far behind her.

The light grew brighter and brighter until they could see the source; dozens of Crystallis's signature luminescent crystals, growing here and there in clusters, creaking and extending far more rapidly than they should.

"Yep," confirmed Cyborg. "This is her handiwork all right."

"Be on your guards," Starfire told them, holding two starbolts close to her chest. "I believe we are coming upon an open cavern."

The tunnel went on for about another mile, the crystal formations increasing in size and frequency until they were practically lining the walls, and then the space emptied out into a large chamber, shockingly lit with bright white light from a massive cluster dangling from the ceiling. A kaleidoscope of colors splashed against the walls from growing crystals—their adversary had been very busy, apparently.

Starfire's eyes darted around, in frantic search of Crystallis and her prisoner.

"Ah..." came a light sigh from somewhere in the room. "The rest of the set has joined us."

The Titans were immediately on guard, Raven and Starfire's hands glowing and Cyborg cranking out his sonic cannon, while Beast Boy became a hound, pawing low to the the ground and growling threateningly.

With soft footsteps, the villainess stepped out from behind a large freestanding quartz, her hand passing over its milky white surface. Crystallis's pale porcelain skin shone in the light from her sun-crystal, her ice-blue eyes and fair hair giving her an almost alien look.

"I've been waiting for you," she all but whispered. "I knew you would want to see..."

"Where is Robin?" Starfire demanded, her brows narrowed furiously.

A pale white hand waved out, gesturing towards the glimmering clusters all around them.

"Do you like it?" Crystallis was asking, her eyes blank with awe. "My jewel garden..."

 _"Where is he?!"_ Starfire screeched. Underneath her anger her heart was beating with fear. The long spines of crystal were extending at an alarming rate. Starfire was certain that if they did not defeat the woman here, her creations would pierce through to the surface, breaking through the street. They had to stop her. They had to find where she'd imprisoned Robin. Her chest raked with worry over him. It was all she could do to keep from rushing the woman.

"So many pretty gems..." As if she hadn't heard Starfire's outburst, Crystallis stepped up onto and walked across one rocky shelf that was like a raised stone platform, heading for a bluish crystal that had been stood prominently on display. "And him..."

Starfire felt her breath freeze in her lungs, her blood stopping still as Crystallis brushed a bit of fog off the surface of the crystal, revealing Robin's face. He was unmasked, his eyes closed, enclosed completely in the bluish rock. Next to her she sensed Raven stiffen and Cyborg and Beast Boy exchange tense glances.

"...the prettiest gem of all," Crystallis sighed, looking over her prize with subtle longing. Her hands lingered on the surface of the large blue jewel and Starfire burned with wrath at the sight.

Crystallis turned to face them, her cold eyes finally seeming to focus on them.

"Won't you reconsider my offer?" she asked. Her hands spread, reverently. "Just think... pleasant eternal sleep. Immortality. You will never grow old. Never need anything again."

"Never be anything but a trinket on display for you," growled Raven.

Crystallis 'tut-tutted' in disapproval.

"How like the demon-seed of Trigon to have no appreciation for true beauty," she sniffed. Her icy eyes passed over Cyborg and Beast Boy, narrowing, the lines of her mouth setting firmly. "Neither of you would understand..." she declared. "Boorish, uncultured oafs."

Beast Boy gave a braying bark that sounded much like an indignant, _"HEY!"_

The villainess's piercing eyes came to rest on Starfire, who felt her anger give way to an uncomfortable shiver.

She did not like the look the woman was giving her. It had been the same look she'd given Robin before...

"But you..." came the breathless, _interested_ whisper.

A prickle of alarm was all Starfire had time to feel before the room erupted. Huge splinters of greenish crystal pierced through the ground at the Titans' feet, scattering them, separating them. Starfire could hear the others cry out. Her eyes darted forward towards Crystallis. She hadn't moved an inch, but the rapidly-growing spires of rock could only be her doing. The very ground split beneath them, shifting as the fractal arms of the crystals rent it apart.

Starfire rose into the air to avoid it, only to gasp and duck down again, as the clusters on the ceiling also stabbed outwards, creating deadly obstacles. She found herself herded towards the rock shelf with the villainess and her frozen captive. Starfire gave a frantic look backwards, only to glimpse Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Raven all engaged in pitch battle against both the stretching crystal and the faceted, moving, humanoid crystal golems that served as Crystallis's minions. Even that glimpse was taken from her as the lengthening stalagmites and stalactites of crystal wove and intermixed together to create a near-impenetrable wall, some of the arms smashing together.

A falling piece from the collision hit her side, and Starfire yelped as she was flung forward onto the ground.

She shook herself, winded slightly, pushing herself up onto her arms.

Bare feet entered her frame of vision and she froze. She looked up with trepidation, seeing Crystallis tower over her, a needle-like spike of pale quartz pointed down at her face like a knife.

Starfire got her hands beneath her and rose to her feet, very carefully. She was no doubt stronger than the woman, but Crystallis's powers could make the small, harmless-looking blade grow faster than a blink, and she did not yet wish to test just how quickly it would be long enough to impale her through the face.

Crystallis was unflinching, regarding Starfire cooly. "I can sense you have an affinity for finer things," she said.

She reached out a hand. Starfire tensed, but the only thing Crystallis did was stroke her cheek, brushing a strand of hair away from her face.

"Such a lovely creature..." she sighed, almost enviously, "...Eyes like emeralds or peridots..." She dropped her hand, the knife coming up to scrape dangerously close against Starfire's throat. "You admire my garden, don't you?"

There was no threat in her voice, but Starfire still felt tendrils of fear snaking through her. She swallowed thickly, feeling the pinpoint slip against her neck.

"It is... very beautiful," she admitted, her voice wavering.

A smile spread the corners of Crystallis's pale lips, and warmth flooded through her expression, brightening the depths of her eyes.

"Do you not wish to be a part of it?" she asked.

From behind, through one of the small gaps still left between the crystal arms, Starfire heard Raven shouting up to her.

"Starfire, don't listen to her! Just get Robin!"

A dangerous flash in Crystallis's eyes and the gap sealed shut, crystal splintering and crashing to the ground. The sounds of the fighting in the other part of the chamber became horribly muted.

The villainess's smile widened and she stepped back, drawing the knife away from Starfire's throat. The Tamaranian immediately readied her starbolts but hesitated, unsure which action to take. Her eyes flitted from Crystallis to Robin. Could she defeat the woman on her own? Should she risk it? But how would she free Robin quickly enough that the villainess wouldn't have time to stop her?

Crystallis kept talking, her voice floating around the room like a sweet melody.

"I would make you into a dazzling diamond," she promised, breathy notes creeping into her tone, betraying her excitement. "Untainted by the corruptions of the world. An everlasting beauty that men would weep over, yearning to see and touch and yet knowing they were unworthy to even look upon you."

She reached towards Starfire again, but the alien girl stepped back, refusing to allow her face to be touched again.

Undeterred, Crystallis went on, her voice dropping, turning sadder, more serious. "And oh, I could give you such lovely dreams," she said. "Whatever your heart desired would be yours as you slumbered, as I kept you safe within my crystal cocoon."

Starfire trembled, staring past her towards Robin.

His face looked... peaceful. She wondered if he was dreaming, as Crystallis promised, if he was locked away inside his mind in a world filled with his deepest desires. What might they be? she wondered.

A traitorous thought crossed her mind—that of being propped up next to him for all eternity, youth and vigor undimmed. Of marriage ceremonies and tiny black-haired babies in her arms, laughing with her brother and sister as her parents looked on. She need not wait for him any longer, came the whispering influence in her mind. Starfire wasn't sure if it came externally from Crystallis somehow reading her thoughts, or if it came from the darkest parts of her own id.

She need not suffer through his stalling and excuses, it said to her. She could have everything she wanted from him, right now.

The moment stretched out for a tick or two and then Starfire shook her head. _No_ , she told herself, shrugging off the brief fantasy. She focused back on Robin with sadness in her eyes. _It would not be real._

Crystallis stood there and waited with eager anticipation for her to answer, clearly believing that was she was offering was too tempting, no, too _wonderful_ to resist. The woman practically vibrated as she held out her hand, palm-up, towards Starfire.

"Well? What is it that you want?" she asked.

Staring at the woman, Starfire forced herself to remember that Crystallis had not given Robin this choice. There had been no pretty words or promises of pleasant dreams; she'd just maneuvered around behind him as the Titans had fought her golems, her hands wrapping around his neck, around his mouth, pulling him backwards and dragging him down, disappearing with him into the depths of the earth.

She remembered the panic in his eyes, how he struggled in vain to free himself before vanishing from her sight, his hand still outstretched towards her.

Her fingers clenched. Her eyes narrowed and her starbolts grew a fraction brighter.

"I want Robin back," she said venomously.

Both hands snapped up, a bright stream of starbolt energy lancing across the cavern, hitting the crystal encasing her beloved. Starfire poured her fury into the beam, increasing its intensity and strength until a satisfying _crack!_ sounded through the chamber.

A moment later the pristine surface splintered and burst, spilling Robin out into the open air.

"NO!" Crystallis shrieked, all pleasantry and gentleness gone, livid with fury.

She lunged at Starfire, knife shard clutched high in her hand.

A sudden black projection rose up from the floor, wrapping around Crystallis's wrist and yanking her backwards. Raven emerged from the pooling shadows on the ground, white glowing eyes angry narrow slants. Cyborg and Beast Boy were pulled up right after her, and both of them charged the villainess as soon as they stepped out.

She snarled, whirling to face them with a hiss.

With the villainess occupied, Starfire wasted no time and rushed to Robin's prone, face-down form.

"Robin!" she cried, pulling him up by the shoulder, turning him over.

His head lolled limply into the crook of her elbow. His eyes were open but empty, glassy and staring up at nothing, the blue of his irises overtaking his pupils.

Starfire's hand froze above his face, terrified to touch his neck and check for a pulse. Cyborg had said his heart was beating but he looked so still...

He stirred.

The breath rose in his chest, and his eyes started to clear. He blinked.

"Star...?" he said, groggily.

Starfire shuddered in relief, cupping his face and leaning down to cradle his head, pressing her forehead against his. "Robin... oh Robin!" she gasped, her voice choking with sobs. "I am sorry it took us so long to find you!" she blubbered.

Confusion entered his expression. "But... I was just with you," he said. "We were having dinner with my parents." As he said it, something seemed to darken in his eyes. "We were... we were going to tell them we were engaged," he went on, sounding hesitant and unsure now.

Starfire drew back sadly, and from the firm set line of his mouth and the aching sorrow in his eyes, she knew the realization had set in.

"It wasn't real was it?" he asked, his voice hollow with a twinge of anger. "None of it was real."

She shook her head solemnly. "No. It was not," she confirmed.

He exhaled heavily, twitching with withheld emotion. His hands tightened and he sat up.

Watching him anxiously, Starfire backed off a bit, to give him some space. "Are you all right?" she asked in concern.

He was not. She already knew he wasn't—the way he was shaking with anger and how tight his eyes were squeezing closed told her as much—but he needed to know she was right there for him, worrying about him, wanting him to be okay.

After a moment, Robin's posture and expression settled into a controlled and tranquil determination. He reached up for her hand, and she helped him stand.

"I will be," he told her, turning to face the fight. "Once _she's_ behind bars," he hissed, seething.

The petty fire simmering in the corner of her heart pulsed a bit, and her starbolts snapped back into her hands eagerly.

-TT-

The flashing police lights splashed across the windows. Raven and Beast Boy cleared debris, moving broken crystal and shattered concrete, while Cyborg gave a statement to the chief officer.

Robin had slipped off not too long after they'd made it to the surface, but Starfire soon found him sitting atop a nearby roof, arms curled around his legs, watching the cleanup.

She set down lightly behind him.

"Robin?" she called. Her fingertips wove together, hands held up near her stomach, as she stepped closer. "Are you... okay?"

He sighed, his head dropping between his knees.

"I know it wasn't real," he said quietly. "But I still..."

Starfire seated herself beside him, reaching out a hand and wordlessly placing it on his shoulder. It didn't seem like nearly enough so she desperately flung her arms around him, and he turned automatically and buried his face in her chest, his fingers clutching her and digging into her back.

He quaked with dry, quiet sobs. "It feels like I lost them all over again," he strained, his voice tight.

She embraced him tighter. "It was very cruel," she agreed. "What she did to you. It is all right to be upset."

His face pressed closer into her shoulder and Starfire felt tiny drops of wetness soaking her top.

"If it makes you feel the better," Starfire said. "She wished to do the same to me."

Robin gave a cheerless laugh, sitting back, quickly wiping the tear tracks under his eyes away. "That doesn't, actually. I'm... I'm glad she didn't. I wouldn't want you to feel this. To... to wake up and realize the world you thought you knew was a lie."

"Yes..." Starfire murmured, touching his cheek softly. "I much prefer this world. It may be messy and painful, but it is ours."

Robin nodded. "Yeah..." he mumbled.

The stress of the day seemed to catch up with Starfire all at once, and the hand on his cheek curled around his neck and grasped at his hair, her forehead leaning in and pressing firmly against his. Her face pinched tight with emotion.

"Please..." she begged. "Please do not let yourself get captured like that again, I—" She hiccuped softly. "—I was so worried."

A flash of guilt crossed Robin's face and he started, "Starfire I—"

Both hands grasped him now. "Shh," she interrupted. "You are safe now. But I... I need to hold you... for a while."

"Okay," he whispered, pulling her into an embrace. "Okay."

It was her turn to cry, tears like glittering diamonds dropping from her emerald eyes. All the worry and fear, the righteous anger at Crystallis for doing this to him, her own guilt for even briefly considering giving in... it all spilled out like a trickling fountain. His arms were warm around her and she clung to the sensation to remind herself that he was safe and whole and alive and _hers_ , and not a lifeless sleeping figurine encased in crystal. She had saved him. They could go home.

They held on tightly until their emotions were spent and then, feeling lighter, flew down to join the others.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> See y'all next year!


	36. RobStar Week 2020, Day 1 - Star-Aligned/Destiny

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Time to RobStar Week baby! Hope everyone is well and staying healthy and is ready for some adorable content.
> 
> Enjoy!

He wasn't supposed to be in Jump City.

Everyone he encountered seemed to think so, from the concerned leasing agent renting him the downtown apartment to the lowlife he'd just stopped from robbing the corner jewelry store.

"This isn't your town!" he'd blurted. "Aren't you supposed to be with—?"

Robin ground his teeth, managing to keep most of the frustration off his face.

Yes, he was _supposed_ to be in Gotham, with Batman. But the growing pains of a teenager chafing under adult authority, itching to define himself outside of his mentor, to be seen as his own person rather than just an accessory, had led him to break from his hometown and his guardian and make his way across the country to establish himself here.

He wasn't sure why he'd picked this city. Crime rates weren't unusual for a coastline town, lower than average actually, and though there did seem to be a bit of an issue with metahuman monsters and small-time supervillains, it wasn't nearly as dire as Gotham or Metropolis, or anywhere else he might have decided to land.

He couldn't explain it. Something had just drawn him to Jump. Something that told him he was needed here.

That sense grew louder as a blazing green comet suddenly streaked overhead, piercing across the peaceful starlit sky like a flare.

His eyes tracked it, widening. The scenario was already playing out like a familiar movie inside his head—mysterious object crashing from space, some terrible creature or machine emerging from the wreckage, immediately attacking the helpless civilians. It happened almost weekly in Gotham.

As if pulled by an outside urge, he left the lowlife strung up in the ally, inexorably drawn to the plume of green smoke that was now billowing up into the sky.

-TT-

She wasn't supposed to be on this planet.

Starfire stumbled up to her feet, a frightened rhythm beating in her chest. The stench of the Gordanian cell still lingered in her nose. The all-too-recent memories flashed in her mind—screaming furious Tamaranian at her captors, throwing herself against the walls of her cell until she caused the craft to stop its course towards the Citadel.

She didn't know what system they had detoured to, didn't know how far away from Tamaran she was now, how out of reach help was for her. All she'd known was that she had to escape.

She had to get these cuffs off. Had to hide somewhere until she could evade the Gordanians. Had to get _home_. Back to her parents and her planet and her sister, whom she was sure had been forced to make the exchange to save their people. The fates had ripped her away from them, carried her off to a world unknown, but she was certain if she could just avoid getting captured again long enough, she could slip free, return home, maybe find help.

She thought she might have been making progress on the cuffs when the universe sent another unlucky curveball crashing her way. Something small and metal hit the side of her head, and she whirled around to find the source of the distraction.

She locked eyes with a boy wearing strange clothes. Screaming internally at the goddess for this additional obstacle in her way, she flung herself at him, their futures colliding and entwining with a resounding crash.

-TT-

Arella's head tilted up in the middle of her meditation.

_How curious_ , she thought.

She'd been tracking her daughter's future through ancient magics. She sat as though in a massive void, watching gold and silver threads weaving together in the empty space. Her mind's eye looked around again.

There was her daughter's thread, smokey gray laced with crimson. A thick silver strand dogged the smaller destiny through the void. Trigon. Raven's father. His fate curled around her daughter's like a strangling vine, impossibly intertwined. Arella could see clearly the moment in time when Raven had chosen to flee Azarath, rather than stay and accept her fate as Trigon's vessel—her glowing line had veered off sharply from its original course, pulling away from her father's, desperately grasping out at another path.

She couldn't see the thread's end—it trailed off into a clouded distance—but she could see thin tendrils branching out, snagging in other threads, drawing them closer, pulling them off their paths as well.

Arella peered closer. A little ways into the future, she could see four threads converging with her daughter's. A group of brave boys and a girl, friends twining around Raven's line in a beautiful braid.

But two of the strands were already connected.

As she concentrated, the spinning golden threads resolved into visions of a young man—dark-haired and serious, uncertain and awkward and full of self-doubt—and a young woman—a princess far from home, warm and gentle, possessed of great strength. They came from far apart on the loom, but the braid they formed together was _strong_ , a dazzling line that shot ahead into the uncertain gloom.

Arella chuckled once, solemnly, to herself.

Raven _was_ changing destinies.

But not her own. Not yet.

-TT-

The sunlight beamed down brightly upon their heads. The other three drifted away from the circle, not leaving yet, but still straying away from the two teens now glancing away from each other and fidgeting.

"So, um..." Robin began awkwardly, rubbing his head. "Do you have a place to stay?"

Starfire shook her head. "I do not."

"And... no way to contact your people either, I'm guessing?" he asked.

She gave a sheepish look. "All the long-range communication equipment was destroyed when the Gordanians' ship crashed."

"Right," Robin said, grimacing apologetically. "Sorry about that."

"Do not be," she said, her voice unexpectedly warm. Robin looked up, to see her emerald eyes upon him with a soft expression. "I am... glad that you all came to my rescue." She shook her head again. "I do not know how I can ever repay you."

He reached across for her hand, touching it gently.

"Hey," he said, giving a smile. "It's just what friends do."

Warmth flooded through her heart.

She beamed, softly, brilliantly.

"Friends," she repeated.

_And perhaps more_ , she added in her thoughts, feeling that electric tingle through her chest again, the one that always seemed to spark up around him.

She wondered if he felt it too, as he gazed at her and the way sunlight fell across her face, his skin tickling a faint pink that her new vocabulary supplied as being called a "blush". Their hands were still touching and he didn't seem eager to let go.

They weren't supposed to be here.

They weren't supposed to meet.

They weren't supposed to fall in love.

But they had.


	37. RobStar Week 2020, Day 2 - Warmth

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Bit generic with this one but whatever.

Starfire lightly clinked the spoon against the rim of the mug before putting it down on the counter. Taking the mug by the handle she cupped her hand around the rim and blew lightly on the hot surface of the liquid inside.

Satisfied, she took it in both hands and turned, leaving the kitchen area and walking over to the lumpy bundle seated on the couch. Robin glanced up from his huddle of thick blankets, extending a hand out to take the steaming cup from his smiling girlfriend.

"Here," she said, handing it to him gently. "I am afraid it will not taste as good as it would have on Tamaran," she apologized, sitting down next to him. "I was out of forgbloth and I am not sure the coffee cream will work as a substitute."

"I'm sure it'll be fine." He curled his fingers around the handle, his right hand opening up the blanket, extending the edge to her.

She took the offer, scooting in closer until she was right up next to him. He dropped the blanket around both their shoulders, winding an arm around her too, and feeling her body settle against him.

He shivered, leaning in to take a sip from the mug.

The hot drink burned its way down his throat, soothing, easing the chills away.

He swallowed with a sigh of contentment.

Starfire beamed, snuggling into his shoulder. "Does that 'hit the spot'?" she asked cheekily.

He grinned at her. "You're amazing, Star." He glanced forward out the darkened main window, watching motes of uncharacteristic snow drifting outside. He leaned his ear on her hair, rubbing her shoulder. "Cyborg says the parts for the Tower's heating system should be here Friday. So we'll just have to tough it out until then."

"Indeed," she commented. "Though I do not see what is so unbearable about this light chill."

Robin chuckled, deciding not to point out that the record-setting cold front that had blown in and knocked out power in half of Jump City from snow and freezing ice and damaged the Tower's heating pipes was a _bit_ more than a 'light chill'. Instead, he took another long gulp of the Tamaranian drink Starfire had fixed him, feeling its pleasant heat extending through him from his hair to his toes.

"It's too bad we don't have a fireplace," he said. "When Gotham would have cold blasts, Bruce would let me have hot chocolate and sit in front of it all night."

Starfire listened pensively, nodding once. "That does sound delightful." She curled a finger around the edge of the blanket, playing with the tassels. "Perhaps next time we are up there we might do that?"

"Maybe." He slurped the spicy brown tea for a moment. "This is really good," he complimented.

"Thank you."

The two fell silent for a while, the quiet buzzing hum of the space heater in front of them droning away. Starfire sat in a bubble of comforting heat with him, feeling him relax against her.

She slowly wound her arms around his stomach.

"It is getting late," she observed, glancing at the clock display on the corner of the main screen. "Should we not retire soon?" she asked.

Robin scrunched up, clutching his hot mug with both hands. "It's cold in my room, though," he grumbled.

"'s'cold everywhere in the Tower, dude," Beast Boy piped up suddenly from behind them. "Don't act like your room is so special."

Robin twisted his head around to glare at the changeling. "Do you mind? We were having a moment."

Beast Boy rolled his eyes in disgust. "I just need my sour gummi snacks. Then I'm going back into hibernation and you two can be as gross and cutesy as you want."

"Bottom left cabinet, top shelf," Robin relayed flatly.

"Thanks!" Beast Boy said brightly, bouncing into the kitchen and immediately locating the box. He held it up and shook it pointedly at Robin before stuffing a corner into his mouth and morphing into a polar bear.

He lumbered out of the room, great paws making soft thuds on the carpet.

Robin turned back to his girlfriend. "Where were we?" he asked, genuinely clueless.

Starfire smirked wryly, a mischievous gleam in her eyes. "I believe we were discussing the merits of you remaining here snuggled in the blankets with me."

He faintly blushed at that. "Uh... we were?"

She giggled, pulling the blankets closer around both of them. "If it is that cold in your room I see no reason for you to leave," she argued.

"O—okay then... um..." Robin stammered, suddenly acutely aware of how close she was and how... _warm_ her skin was. He quickly worked on finishing his drink to distract himself.

It didn't work.

Starfire's proximity was close and intimate and the blankets were a comfortable cocoon around them, and the liquid in his cup was a mellow balm against the pervasive chill in the Tower.

In spite of it all he relaxed, leaning into Starfire and letting her hair tickle his neck.

"Did... did you want to do anything?" he asked, a nervous flutter in his heart.

She breathed out in contentment, closing her eyes.

"Merely hold you for a while," she said, "and enjoy this."

So they stayed there for a long hour, quietly, cuddling close and just feeling each other's heartbeats.

And the cold outside their little huddle could not touch them at all.


	38. RobStar Week 2020, Day 3 - Tamaran

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Wasn't sure what to do with this prompt at first but I think this is decent enough.
> 
> Enjoy!

Robin kicked the base of a column in frustration.

"Two lefts, under the veranda, and then straight on," he recited. " _How_ did I mess that up?"

He took a moment to lean against the column, sighing, mashing a hand down his face.

He should have just accepted that escort.

The long halls of Tamaran's royal palace were silent, his footsteps echoing in the hollow space. Not even the guards were stationed down here—not that they'd help him anyway, Starfire had told him they took their roles very seriously and were not allowed to speak to outsiders—so there was no one about that Robin could ask for help after getting himself hopelessly turned around.

 _Suppose I should just keep moving then_ , he thought, straightening back up. He was bound to find something or someone eventually.

As he wandered, he did have to admire the palace's construction. It seemed Tamaranians loved their spaces tall and wide open, not surprising considering their flight powers. More than once he spotted a balcony or landing that seemed to have no visible entry point, high up in the rafters. The walls were polished to a marble-like sheen. Golds and reds abounded, in soft crunchy carpet underfoot, in tapestries draped along the walls, and in the beautifully carved stone.

Ducking through a smaller doorway Robin stopped, blinking to find himself outside. A neat, well-tended garden met his eyes. Vibrantly colored plants were arranged in winding patterns, following a little pebbled path past a bubbling fountain—tall tropical trees, wide-leafed purple ferns, and several species he couldn't identify. One of them sounded like it might be snoring.

He shook his head, chuckling a little to himself as Beast Boy's hysterical complaint about Tamaranian furniture from their last visit replayed from memory inside his head.

Thinking of that brought him to a pensive halt, under the shade of a willowy tree.  


He'd almost lost Starfire back then. Not to danger, or death in combat, but to someone else. To her duty as princess of Tamaran. He'd begged her to run away with him. Pleaded with her not to sacrifice herself for Blackfire's selfish whims. He'd been so relieved to find out that Blackfire had faked the invasion, so determined not to see Starfire throw her happiness away for a lie.

On some level, he'd realized he loved her that trip.

He grinned to himself.

And now he was her official royal consort, along for the ride as she navigated a complex negotiation between Tamaran and a few of her outer colonies, which they had just finally been able to make contact with now that the war with the Gordanians was over. Beast Boy had fallen asleep in his chair more than once during the talks and Raven zoned out into meditative trances, but Robin had listened with rapt attention, finding the inner workings of Tamaranian politics incredibly fascinating.

He didn't always understand everything—the dignitaries and representatives often conversed in their mother tongue, leaving Starfire to whisper hasty translations in his ear that didn't always make sense or translate well—but he was keenly interested nonetheless, especially when Starfire stood up to speak, her lovely voice bending around the alien words with serenity and ease.

She looked almost more… in her element, in those moments.

His heart gave an irrational little sting. He shook it off. She wasn't leaving, he knew. She'd made it very clear that her abdication of the throne was permanent. But sometimes he couldn't help but wonder if she had regrets.

Lost in his thoughts, Robin didn't notice the pair of finely-dressed Tamaranian youths until they were stumbling over him.

Grunting, Robin tripped a few paces before recovering his balance. He shook himself, looking up at the pair of boys.

One had short-cropped reddish brown hair that clung close to his head in tight curls, sharp features, narrow eyes under furrowed brows, and was decked in a silver-white tunic with heavy jewelry on his arms and neck. The other was shorter and slightly pudgier, with shoulder-length wispy hair and wearing the standard Tamaranian purple, though it was embroidered with gold thread in fancy patterns.

"Sorry," Robin apologized, offering a smile and his hand. "Guess I shouldn't have been blocking the path."

The taller boy stared down at Robin's extended hand, then lifted his eyes with a even, impassive look.

Embarrassed, Robin put his hand back down.

"Um… you wouldn't happen to know how to get back up to the Council chamber would you?" he asked, hoping the boys knew enough English to help him.

"Why you?" the taller boy blurted.

Robin blinked, taken aback. "Excuse me?"

The shorter Tamaranian was looking uncomfortable now, tugging at his friend's arm.

"Zek'el, come on, let's just go," he begged, shooting distressed, apologetic glances at Robin. "You know your father told you not to insult the Princess's entourage."

The tall boy—'Zek'el', Robin could now name—shrugged off the hands pulling on him, glaring openly now. "No, I want to know," he said, pulling away from the shorter boy and taking a stalking step towards Robin. His green eyes flared. "Why did Princess Starfire choose y _ou_ , a lowly _Earther?_ "

He spat the word with as much venom as Val-Yor lobbing 'troq', and Robin immediately disliked the boy. He squared his shoulders, making himself as tall as he could (though his rival still had a good foot on him), fists tightening by his sides.

"Because she loves me, maybe?" he shot back in challenge.

Zek'el snorted.

"Absurd," he said. He crossed his arms, looking down his nose with haughty disdain. "Who could love you? A scrawny, flightless, Earthling commoner."

Robin's skin prickled, his hackles raising, but he resisted the urge to snap back or do anything… rash. The last thing he wanted was to cause some kind of intergalactic incident.

He inhaled slowly, then responded calmly, "Let's not sell me short." He gave a cheeky smirk. "I'm told I'm a rather likeable guy."

Zek'el wasn't impressed. "And she is Tamaran's _princess_. Noble from birth, destined to rule despite her—" He gave an aside glance, significantly. "— _temporary_ leave of absence from the throne."

Something in Robin's chest snarled. He drew in a long breath through his teeth. His fingernails were beginning to make indentions on his palms.

The other boy was palming his face in his hands, shaking his head, as Zek'el pushed forward, encroaching on Robin's space, making the Boy Wonder have to tilt his head up to continue looking him in the face. (Which he found _extraordinarily_ irritating.)

"In the Hezbron quadrant we are taught absolutely loyalty to the royal family. Any one of us would gladly fall on our swords for the princess," he bragged. He leveled a ice-cold glare at Robin. "You are not fit to be with her. You are not even fit to speak her _name_ ," he said stiffly.

 _If you think I wouldn't die for her in a heartbeat you're wrong_ , Robin wanted to say. But Zek'el had touched upon an old, deep-seated insecurity, tearing it open like a wound.

Starfire had been so patient with him. So understanding. And he'd ignored and denied how he felt for so long…

Robin's next steadying breath was a bit shakier, but he was still determined not to rise to the bait, not to let the words get to him.

"Look," he said quietly. His eyes dropped. "You don't have to tell me I don't deserve her. I _know_ I don't. She's amazing and strong and beautiful and I'm an emotionally constipated stubborn mess. I'm the furthest thing from a Tamaranian you could get." He raised his head again, his fists gripping tightly. "But I've been trying my _damn_ best to make her happy, and for whatever reason, she thinks I'm good enough. So maybe you should take your judgemental questions about our relationship up with her." His eyes narrowed in challenge. "She's the one that chose _me_ ," he pointed out.

That finally seemed to silence his critic. Zek'el stared back at him, expression unreadable.

Robin shifted, his boots scuffing the gravel. "Excuse me," he dismissed himself, stiffly.

He was preparing to leave when he heard a mutter from behind him.

"That's a pity. She must be dimmer than I thought."

With zero hesitation he whirled around and socked the other boy across the jaw.

-TT-

It took at least three guards to pry the boys apart, and by that time the ruckus had called down several dignitaries from the meeting, including Starfire, who quickly stepped in to do damage control.

 _"Tagg rak vosplurgal glorften krin!"_ she scolded into their midst. Taking hold of Robin's arm, she gently pulled him aside. "Are you injured?" she asked.

"I'm fine," he muttered. "Ask mister prissy pants how _he's_ doing," he added in a grumble.

She shook her head, the silver diadem perched on her brows shifting slightly. "Robin…" she sighed in light aggravation. "You cannot go picking fights with the sons of Hezbron nobles. No matter how insulting they are."

Robin jabbed a finger at Zek'el indignantly. "He started it!" he cried.

Starfire glanced aside to where the boy was being furiously scolded by his father, harsh Tamaranian spitting in the air between them. "Be that as it may…" she said. "I do not wish to cause any unneccesary animosity between our factions."

Robin's hot anger deflated a little at that, at being even gently scolded by her. He dropped his gaze towards his toes.

"I'm sorry," he mumbled.

Zek'el's pudgier friend piped up. "Uh… Your Highness?" he called. He held up a hand, to get her attention.

She turned to him. _"Dag, Orvris?"_

Orvris darted a pinched, embarrassed look towards Robin. "All respects, Zek'el _did_ provoke the confrontation, my lady," he explained.

Starfire raised an eyebrow, swiveling to Robin.

"Oh?"

Robin's face was sour and he glared across the way at Zek'el.

"He called you dim. So I punched him in his stupid face," he explained in a flat growl.

"I see." Her tone was neutral, but there was no disguising the flicker of conflicting emotions in her eyes. Pride. Anger. Perhaps just a little bit of flattered excitement?

She straightened herself, assuming an air of refined royal composure.

"Dignitary Ghoblar," she called. "Perhaps you might teach your son not to insult his gracious hosts." She repeated her admonition in Tamaranian, earning a hasty apologetic reply, the older man nodding vigorously and swatting at his son's head with an irritated expression.

Beaming pleasantly, Starfire invited them to disperse. Or at least, that's what it sounded like to Robin.

He scuffed the dirt with his toes, fidgeting softly.

"Hey," he said. "I am sorry. I know how important these negotiations are to Tamaran's future and—"

She waved him off with a smile. "I am not angry."

"No?" he asked, beginning to relax.

"I think you are to be commended," she said, reaching for his hand. She squeezed it playfully. "For defending my honor," she teased with a wink.

Robin let himself give a cheeky smile. "Hey, these stiff upper lips can insult me all they want. But the minute they come after you," he told her seriously, "the gloves are off."

She laughed softly, entwining her fingers with his.

"Come," she said. "I have called a recess so that we may all cool off." A mischievous gleam was in her emerald eyes. "And I wish you and I to do the cooling off together," she said. She leaned in and purred her words in his ear. "In my bath," she whispered huskily.

Robin felt his brain slowly grinding to a halt and gulped nervously. Though Galfore had grown very fond of him, there were still many guards around the palace that grew twitchy whenever Robin showed too much physical affection towards their princess.

But he trusted that Starfire wouldn't let him get in trouble so he just replied with a stammering, "As—as you wish, Your Highness."

Starfire giggled, her long skirts lifting up as she floated, pulling Robin along behind her towards a high upper balcony far above.


	39. RobStar Week 2020, Day 4 - Fantasy AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This one is actually my favorite of the bunch. I just loved getting to do Mer!Kory. Heavy inspiration from _Splash!_ , obviously.

"You couldn't have lost the arrow in some nice wide open field," Dick grumbled, pushing aside thick undergrowth that pricked his hands and scratched at his clothes. "You _had_ to lose it in the creepy fae-infested forest."

"Shut up and help me look for it," his friend Roy hissed, crashing through the brush next to him. "If Lord Oliver finds out I've been messing with his magic arrows again he'll have my hide!"

Dick rolled his eyes. "And if Lord Wayne finds out I'm in here with you he'll have mine," he drawled back. "When are you gonna craft your _own_ magic arrows to lose track of?" he complained.

"Told you, I haven't got the focus for it."

"You would if you studied."

Roy snorted. "Like that's helped you."

Dick scowled, annoyed but choosing not to comment on the barb. It wasn't _his_ fault he'd been born without any magical talent. That Lord Wayne had chosen to take him under his wing anyway as his squire was surely testament enough that hard work and practice could yield skills that were just as valuable as magecraft.

"Check down there, I'll look over here behind that fallen log," Roy's voice broke into his thoughts.

Dick quickly tried to untangle his sleeve from a trailing end of moss, caught on his elbow. "I don't think splitting up is such a good—"

When he turned around to look, the other boy was already gone.

"—idea…" he finished timidly.

He looked around for a moment, eventually glimpsing flashes of his friend's tunic peeking out between the trees to his right.

Sighing, he trudged down the slope in the other direction.

The shadows seemed to deepen as he picked his way downhill. The sunlight filtered down blue through the trees, catching sparkling dust motes in the air. Dick caught the sound of running water and moments later found himself on the bank of a deep pond. Water spilled into it from one side, tinkling through gray rocks in a musical waterfall. It poured out through a filter of fallen branches on the other side, continuing on in a rushing stream that wound its way through the forest. The water was a murky blue where the shadows fell across it, but clear down to the rocks at the bottom under the sunlight.

Dick caught a glimpse of something in one of the sunlit patches. He squinted. There was a long silver gleam sticking up from the mud.

He muffled a groan as he realized it was Roy's lost arrow. Glancing around he considered his options. If he dove down into the pond after it and returned to the Manor soaked he would _definitely_ be in for it. Would it float back up to the surface if he jostled it loose?

He grabbed up a long stick, crouching on the rocks, leaning out as far as he could, stretching down.

The tip wouldn't quite reach the shaft. Dick strained a little further.

His foot slipped on the damp rock.

Dick gasped, flailing, dropping the stick, finding himself falling face-first towards the pond.

A pair of hands came up out of the water, catching him an inch from its still surface.

Dick blinked in shock at a set of green eyes that were staring up at him from under the water.

The hands gave a small push, just enough to tilt his balance back over the bank, and Dick yanked backwards, his eyes widening as a head broke the water's surface.

"Woah!" he exclaimed, scrambling back on his hands. He gaped at the creature. "Uh…" he stammered, a bit a loss for words. "Hi."

It had a girl's face, smooth and round, with warm golden skin framed by long, dripping red hair that made flaming trails behind her in the water. Pink frills flared behind her ears, like decorative fins.

Fins…

Dick checked down under the water. The girl's torso stopped at her hips, slowly fading into a bright pink and magenta tail. He stared at it, open-mouthed, marveling at the neon blue piping along the sides, the feather edges of her fins, and the way the scales glistened.

He was moving closer before he realized it, and only noticed when she startled, pushing away from him a little.

"It's okay!" he said, holding up his hands. "I promise I won't hurt you." He offered her a smile, hoping she'd see he wasn't a threat.

Cautiously, her face came back out of the water. She stared at him, her green eyes mesmerizing and deep and he felt oddly… light. His heart stuttered and his cheeks seemed to warm.

"Um…" he said. He was looking for something wasn't he? What was it? Dick shook his head, coming to himself.

_That's right, my idiot friend's arrow_ , he remembered.

"Hey, uh…" He pointed down past her at the arrow on the pond bottom. "Can… can you help me get that?"

She tilted her head curiously, her eyes squinching like she hadn't quite understood what he'd said.

He stretched his arm, trying to direct her attention. "See that arrow?" he asked.

She glanced from him, down into the pond, and back again. She pointed down at the gleaming silver shaft.

"Yes, that," Dick confirmed.

She gestured questioningly at herself.

"Yes!" he exclaimed, relieved that she understood. "Yes, can you get it for me?"

She smiled, a gorgeous sight that had him almost falling backwards, and pushed away from the bank, sinking beneath the surface. Her brilliant pink tail flashed up, sparkling in the sunlight as she swam down and retrieved the arrow.

She emerged momentarily, the silver shaft clutched tight in her hand, raised triumphantly. Drifting forward in the water she held it out to him.

His fingers brushed against hers as he reached out and took it, sending some kind of tingle through his arm. Dick flushed, losing track of his thoughts again, staring down at the contact between their hands as if in a daze.

"Hey Talentless, you find my arrow yet?!" Roy's voice floated up shrilly from behind him.

Dick broke out of his trance, shooting the girl an apologetic look.

"I have to go," he said, taking the arrow and standing to his feet. "Thank you."

He had already turned around to clamber back up the slope and didn't see the way her eyes saddened or her forlorn hand lingering in the air after him.

-TT-

The land boy visited her several more times after that. He would bring her treats, delightfully sweet little morsels of human food, and grin every time her eyes lit up upon tasting one. He would chatter at her, trying to communicate, and she would politely smile and shake her head when she didn't understand. Human language was awkward and fumbling on her silken tongue, and even less could parse through her keen ears, but one word she learned and remembered well—the boy's name.

Dick. An odd word, but one that seemed to suit him. He'd tried to get her to pronounce it, and she'd come to a close enough approximation that he stopped correcting her when she said it.

She longed to tell him her own name. She could feel her soul bonding more and more to this boy every time they spoke. She practiced saying it to herself, forming the syllables with her mouth, trying out her air voice.

Kory. Kor-ee. Khory.

She was whispering it under her breath, waiting with anticipation for him to come. Her heart leapt as she heard his footsteps crunching through the short green grass. As soon as she saw him she blurted it out.

"Kory!"

He stopped, blinking down at her in confusion.

"What?"

She pressed a wet hand against her chest, eyes earnest. "Kory!" she repeated. She tapped her collar insistently. "Kory!"

He gasped, dropping to his knees and peering into her face. "Kory?" he said.

She nodded vigorously. "Kory!"

The smile that broke across his face caused firecrackers to spark inside her chest.

He breathed her name, reverently, in awe, and she felt herself melting into a warm ball of light. Her heart suddenly _ached_ looking at him.

_Oh dear_ … she sighed to herself, realizing with dismay how far she'd fallen.

-TT-

The witch brushed a strand of long purple hair out of her face, concentrating on the small text in her dusty spellbook. The restoration process was going much slower than she liked, but if she could just get one good stretch without any interruptions—

"Hey _Rae!_ "

Raven puffed out her breath in aggravation, swiveling around to see her changeling familiar hovering in the doorway, one hand on the ancient mahogany to hold it open.

"What is it, Gar?" she asked wearily.

He thumbed over his shoulder towards the opening. "Someone here to see you."

He offered nothing further, prompting the witch to cross her arms. "Well, what do they want?" she demanded.

"I dunno, I didn't ask," he said, shrugging.

Raven sighed in frustration, getting up from her seat and crossing over to the door. Gar moved out of her way, letting the door begin to swing closed. Raven caught it, curling her fingers around the edge and poking her head out around it.

She couldn't see anyone, at least at first. Then a sloshing sound came from somewhere at her feet.

Raven glanced down in surprise at the young girl hanging half out of the stream that flowed in front of her cottage.

The girl was wringing her fingers together, shrinking bashfully into her bare shoulders. She peeked up and offered a shy smile.

Raven stared flatly, expression vaguely confused.

"Can I… help you?" she asked.

The girl swept an arm backwards, lifting up her tailfin, waving it slightly.

Raven's eyes and expression were blank a long moment. "Yes, it's a very lovely tail," she finally commented.

The mermaid dropped her fin back into the water, pointing anxiously towards the witch.

"What?" Raven came out of the hut, closing the door behind her. The mermaid continued gesturing insistently at her. "Me," Raven guessed.

A shake of the head. The pointing finger jabbed downwards.

Raven glanced down.

"My legs."

An enthusiastic nod and a bright smile.

Raven stared for half a second more, mulling that over in her head. She slouched a bit when her mind figured it out. "You want me to give you legs," she drolled in conclusion.

Another happy nod.

Raven sighed deeply, massaging her temple. "Is this about a boy?" she groaned.

The mermaid ducked her head, looked sheepishly down at her hands and tapped her fingers together with a cute blush.

Raven made _several_ private grumbles to herself before sighing again. "Fine," she agreed reluctantly. "But if things don't work out, don't come crying to me," she grumbled, already turning around to go back inside her hut.

-TT-

She emerged momentarily with a bubbling potion in a clear glass bottle.

"All right. This will let you walk on land for seven suns," Raven told her.

Very gently, she handed the glass to the mermaid, who took it in her slightly webbed fingers with wide eyes and an awed expression.

"Be careful," the witch cautioned. "Under moonlight or in water the spell reverses." She stepped back, brushing her hands off. "You'll need to wait for sunlight or to dry off to change back."

The mermaid nodded, seemingly understanding. Her mouth opened and a strained attempt at words came from her throat.

"Th _aaann_ k… you…" she said. A little more confidently she repeated. "Thank you!"

"You're welcome," Raven muttered, pulling her cloak tighter around herself as the mermaid flipped and dove down into the water.

-TT-

"And… tada!" his friend exclaimed with a flourish.

Dick stared down at the concoction, watching cool mist drift up from it.

"All right, I give up," he said. "What is it?"

The alchemist grabbed a wooden dowel from his rack, dipping it into the blue mixture, giving it a few good swirls and then pulling it out.

"Instant gilding!" Victor announced, proudly showing off the thin gold coating now lining the dowel.

"Woah!" Dick breathed, putting his hands on the table, suitably impressed.

"Admittedly not quite as impressive as the ever-elusive turning lead into gold," Victor said, setting the dowel off to the side and grabbing a towel to wipe his hands off. "But quite an accomplishment, if I do say so myself," he added with a wide grin. He stepped back from his workdesk, crossing his arms. "So what brings you by today?" he asked.

"Well, I was looking for—" Dick started, but then cut off as shouting rose up from outside, making him swing his head around, looking out the window of Victor's apothecary shop, puzzled.

Victor squinted his eyes too. "Now what's all _that_ fuss about?" he wondered.

The two boys wandered over to the door. Dick stepped outside curiously.

A jumble of frantic voices met their ears.

"Don't touch it! You don't know where it come from!"

"She walked outta the wood I tell ya! Jus' like that!"

"Momma! She hasn't got any _clothes!_ "

Startled, Dick looked down the street, peering past the rustling wall of bodies that both crowded around something and fell over themselves trying to get away from it.

"Goodness dearie! Are you all—"

"Stay away from it, Marjorie! It's onna them fae I know it!"

Dick pushed past a few jostling shoulders, Victor on his heels, clearing a path towards the source of the disturbance. Dick's peering eyes caught a flash of familiar bright red hair and he stopped in his tracks.

It couldn't be.

The crowd finally parted enough for him to see her. A beautiful girl with golden-orange skin and long crimson hair, stark naked, making her way forward through the crowd on wobbly, unsteady legs.

His mermaid.

She spotted him, her face lighting up with a gasp and a smile.

"Dick!" she called, stumbling her way towards him.

His face had warmed at least ten degrees hotter. "Kory?" he squeaked in disbelief.

Kory blundered the last few paces, tripping on the last step. Dick rushed forward to catch her, his arms grabbing hold of hers.

Her hands clutched his face, pulling him down towards her until his lips met hers.

"Hhmmgh?" he muffled in shock, his brains dropping straight into his boots.

Kory wrapped her arms around his neck, deepening the kiss, her skin warm and fragrant and her heartbeat sounding against his chest between the soft… _things_ … pressing into his tunic.

Victor raised an eyebrow.

"Friend of yours?" he quipped.

Dick couldn't respond, all his mental faculties shutting down one by one.

-TT-

Her land boy was in a daze when she finally pulled back, the words of his human language storing themselves in her mind, ready to be used.

Kory brushed a strand of hair from her face, pulling herself upright against him. She didn't care about the fearful whispers from the villagers, their suspicious looks and how they shied back as if she were a cursed thing. She didn't care that it was forbidden by ancient law for merfolk to tether their hearts to mortals. She didn't care about the ache in her strange new legs that tilted and bent in odd ways she wasn't used to.

She was just so happy he was here.

"I missed you," she whispered in his ear, sliding her arms around him and holding him close.

He was still wide-eyed, his expression dull.

And all he could say in response was a breathless, "I can tell…"


	40. RobStar Week 2020, Day 5 - Rescue

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello hello it's time to hurt Robin again.
> 
> C'mon, with a prompt like this one I couldn't not. Just be glad I didn't go with my original idea to do something post-a Very Bad apprenticeship kidnapping.

Cinderblock bellowed as he pitched the lifted piece of metal scaffolding at them. Cyborg ducked and Beast Boy morphed into a sparrow to evade but Robin caught the piece full in the stomach, grunting and doubling over as it knocked him from his feet, carrying him clean over the side of the pier and into the water below.

The chilly autumn saltwater blasted around his head and body in a stream of furious bubbles as he hit, and the scaffolding sank into the bay, down, down, dragging Robin down with it.

Robin struggled against its weight several moments. A sliver of panic poked through him as he felt his back hit the muddy bottom.

He looked up frantically towards the surface, not even fifteen feet above him, but still agonizingly far away. His hands pulled on a beam, tugging, hands slipping around the slick metal.

The heavy piece of construction material wouldn't budge. It had settled on the harbor floor, wedging him in place, pinned down by the corner pressing into his stomach.

Robin's legs kicked loosely. His hands scrabbed at the beam on his midsection, fumbling towards his belt, but his tools were just underneath the thick metal in a way that made them inaccessible and his throat was tightening and he was running out of breath.

His wide eyes flashed up towards the rippling ocean surface and the air above him, horribly out of reach.

-TT-

On the other side of the construction site, Starfire and Raven blasted twin streams of energy into the sloppy, gelatinous pieces of Plasmus.

The pieces screeched, melting apart and dissolving into amorphous goop, laying in splotchy patches on the concrete.

The main body of the creature wobbled and teetered, exhausted from the fight, finally breaking open and spilling the man inside onto the ground, where he moaned softly.

Starfire panted hard, but didn't relax, glancing over at Raven and seeing that the other girl had stiffened, her violet eyes widening slightly.

Cold fear started trickling through her. Their fight was over and yet Raven's face was paling, which meant she must be sensing something through her bond with Robin.

Which meant something had gone wrong.

She stepped towards her friend, worry beating through her heart. "Raven?" she called.

Raven shook herself, raising her hands.

"We need to get back to the boys," she just said urgently. "Now."

Starfire didn't need to be told twice, stepping quickly closer as Raven's black energy swelled up around them.

-TT-

Cinderblock sprawled on the dock behind him as Cyborg watched the water's surface anxiously. He had been acutely aware of Robin's absence at his back, a slow-growing anxious panic building inside him.

Robin had been under too long.

Beast Boy had dove in almost before Cinderblock had finished falling, morphing before he hit the water, becoming a large shark.

Now a fin broke the water, followed by Beast Boy's head as he morphed back, and then Robin's, limp and lolling forward.

Cyborg leaned down at once, stretching out as Beast Boy kicked back for the dock, one arm slashing through the water until he was within range.

His metal hands slipped under Robin's armpits as Beast Boy lifted him up.

Cyborg hauled Robin onto the dock, trying not to think about how limp and quiet and pale he was. Beast Boy scrabbled his way up onto the wooden pier momentarily, shaking the water off, biting his lip until it hurt as Cyborg checked first with his arm sensors and then manually at Robin's neck.

A swish of magic sounded and then Raven and Starfire were there, running up, Starfire already looking horrified and panicked.

Cyborg leaned his ear down over Robin's face, then straightened.

"Weak pulse, but he's not breathing," he told them, carefully tilting the boy's head to begin resuscitation.

He managed a single cycle of breaths before the girls reached them, Beast Boy biting his nails the whole time.

To his surprise, Starfire was the one who shoved Cyborg aside first, grabbing up Robin's head, sealing her mouth over his and…

…Well, it _looked_ like some kind of rescue breathing, but no kind Beast Boy had ever seen. Some Tamaranian technique maybe.

Starfire's lips were practically biting Robin's and Beast Boy was fairly certain her tongue was down his throat, but a moment later he forgot his curiosity as Robin's diaphragm gave a sharp twitch.

Then he gargled.

Then Starfire detached, long tongue retracting quickly into her mouth and Robin choked, coughing up, turning his head over and expelling small mouthfuls of water into the wood under his right arm.

Relief pinged through the Titans, and it was obvious Starfire was holding herself back from throwing her arms around Robin. She sat back, her hands curled happily over her chest, expression elated as she watched him gasp and cough, slowly regaining color and recovering his breath.

Raven knelt down, looking him over in concern. "You okay?" she asked.

Robin pressed a hand to the base of his neck, swallowing and making a face. "Ngh…" he groaned. He sat up, touching a hand reassuringly to Starfire's arm as he shook his head. "My throat feels gross," he complained.

Starfire ducked her head, scrunching up sheepishly. She tapped the ends of her index fingers together, avoiding eye contact. "Forgive me," she said. "I… may have used secretions from my tongue to… stimulate your gag reflex."

He looked askance at her.

The other Titans were silent for an awkward moment.

"It is a Tamaranian first aid technique. For drowning victims," Starfire elaborated, hiding her face outright now, blushing furiously.

"Was that… safe?" Robin asked, his eyebrows scrunching slightly.

"For humans, I am… not sure," Starfire admitted. Her hands were wringing together now, agitated. "But… you were so still and… and Cyborg said you were not breathing so…"

Sudden tears welled up in her eyes and she gave a cry, throwing herself on him, arms grabbing him tightly.

"Oh _Robin!_ " she cried in distress. "I thought I was going to lose you!"

He grunted a bit from her sudden affection, but immediately wrapped his arms around her back, squeezing her reassuringly.

"Hey. It's okay," he whispered. "It's okay, you didn't lose me. You _saved_ me."

She hiccuped, burying her eyes in his neck and sniffling softly.

Raven cleared her throat.

The two became aware of the other three still awkwardly standing there around them and pulled away, though they didn't let go of each other.

Raven spoke in a neutral monotone. "You injured anywhere else or are you okay?" she asked.

Robin touched a hand to his side and grimaced. "I think the beam might have cracked a rib," he said. "And I'm definitely bruising."

Cyborg glanced at his arm scanner. "Well, doesn't look like you've got any internal bleeding. And I'm not reading any reactions to Starfire's, erm…" He trailed off a moment, his expression looking like he very much wanted _not_ to think about it. "…'secretions'," he finished.

"Don't embarrass her, she saved my life," Robin chided, kicking Cyborg's knee a bit with his toe.

"Yeah but it's still gross," Beast Boy said, turning aside to mutter about weird alien biology.

Starfire gripped his wrist, standing, helping him gingerly to his feet. She was trembling slightly, the emotional rush of her fear and then her relief still vibrating through her.

He was right. It was okay. He hadn't drowned.

He was _safe_.

Her heart swelled with warmth as he turned a grateful look up to her, whispering a reverent, "Thank you." and she just squeezed his arm tighter in response.

* * *

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Starfire's prehensile tongue FTW.


	41. RobStar Week 2020, Day 6 - Wedding Bells

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> *whispers*
> 
> RobStar wedding, RobStar wedding, RobStar wedding, RobStar weeeeeddiiiiiiinnnng! :D
> 
> Featuring a few of my headcanons and a reformed Blackfire. Takes place before "Stardust" and "Lost" of last year's prompts.
> 
> Enjoy!

Argent made one last adjustment to the little jeweled tiara that crowned Starfire's veil and then stepped back in satisfaction.

"There we are," she declared. "Done!"

Starfire beamed widely, extending her arms to look herself over, pinching handfuls of the swishy satinesque white skirt and giving it little twirls.

"Ooh girl, Robin is just gonna faint!" Bumblebee crowed in approval, from her spot by the window.

She giggled in agreement.

The dress was perfect. Light white sequined lace all up her arms, dipping down across her collar in a subtle sweetheart neckline, ending at her waist where the billowing skirt began. She'd gone full Western traditional–for this ceremony at least–with all the something olds and something blues as part and parcel of her lovely ensemble.

She could hardly keep her feet on the ground, floating up a few inches off her strappy white heels.

Raven gave a smile as she took Starfire's wrist and gently tugged her back to earth. "How are you feeling?" she asked, for Starfire's sake as she could already feel the quivering joy and excitement rushing through the Tamaranian's body.

"I am… nervous?" Starfire replied. Her hands wrung together. "But also excited and also happy and… Oh Raven I cannot believe it is finally happening!" she gushed.

"Congratulations love," said Argent. "Truly."

There was a quiet click as the bedroom door closed, a hesitant figure slipping in.

"Do you have everything packed for when you leave for Tamaran tomorrow?" Blackfire asked, eyes anxious.

"I believe so…" Starfire mused, taking a quick look around the guest bedroom. "Oh!" she cried. "My favorite hairbrush!" she said, spotting it still on the vanity. "I will need that in the bag before we go."

Blackfire nodded. "I've got it," she promised.

She took a few steps in that direction and then paused, feet rooting, evasive eyes raising seriously, fixing on her sister.

"You look… absolutely beautiful, little sister," she said quietly.

Starfire's glow dimmed, her eyes softening a little. "Are you certain you will not attend the ceremony and wedding feast on Tamaran?" she asked.

Blackfire gave a wry, self-hating smile and shook her head. "I get the feeling our dear loyal subjects wouldn't be too happy to see me around," she said. She tried to shrug in a way that was casual and unaffected. "It's okay. Wildfire and I were planning to jet off around the Scarpia Cluster after everything anyway."

Starfire reached out, gently grasping her sister's hand with a sincere look. "For the record," she said, "you _would_ have a place at my wedding, if you wished it."

The facade of indifference slipped off Blackfire's face, her eyes stinging, as she dropped her chin, mumbling a soft, "Thanks. But I don't think I'm quite… ready for that yet."

"Understood."

Starfire let go and stepped back, checking over her dress once again and looking around the room.

"Has anyone seen Silkie?" she asked.

"He was with Robin and the boys last I checked," Raven told her, finishing up with the clasp of her necklace and letting it drape over the collar of her bridesmaid's dress. She tilted her head up. "Speaking of…" she commented dryly, giving an amused smirk. "I should probably go check on him now."

Starfire giggled knowingly. "Is he doing the freaking out?" she queried.

"You know him," she drolled.

"Tell him if he ruins that tux I will absolutely 'ave his head," Argent grumbled, picking up the loose pieces of ribbon on the floor as she and Kole finished winding together the boutonnieres, handing one to Raven before the empath walked out the door.

-TT-

Robin paced agitatedly back and forth, wringing out the hems of his sleeves.

"Flowers on the altarpiece?" he asked Cyborg.

"Yep."

"And you've got the music all queued up?"

Cyborg looked vaguely offended at that. "You would dare doubt me?" he said.

Robin's face pinched. "Cyborg…" he groaned.

"I've _got_ it, Rob," Cyborg reassured him. "Pachelbell's Canon in D for the processional, Mendelsson for the recessional, all your favorite love songs as pre-ceremony mood music."

Robin nodded stiffly, his hands coming up, wringing in his hair. "Three hours for the reception," he recited to himself, under his breath. "Two more to finish packing for Tamaran…"

"Dude, would you just relax," Beast Boy complained, watching from his perch on Robin's bed, curled up indian-style with his chin pillowed in his hands. "You're gonna give yourself a heart attack." He straightened up, a sudden look of concern in his eyes. "Have you even eaten anything yet?"

Robin shook his head. "Can't. Too nervous."

"No way are you skipping breakfast, you're gonna faint at the wedding for sure!" the changeling declared, leaping up from the bed.

He nearly bumped into Raven on his quest to find Robin some food.

"Pardon me!" he squeaked, darting around her.

Raven let him pass her, then stepped into the room, crossing to Robin, who already had an apologetic look on his face.

"Sorry," he said, forcing himself to quit pacing and face her. "I'm projecting aren't I?"

"Loudly," Raven confirmed, reaching up to pin his boutonniere in place. "What's got you so worked up anyway? I thought you'd be happier about marrying Starfire."

He sighed, raking a hand up through his bangs. "I am, I _am_ , I promise I'm just–" He fixed her with a serious look. "You know just how many things can go wrong at one wedding?" he asked. "And we had the stupid idea to have _two_." He pressed his heels into his eyes, groaning. "And there's a whole host of traditions and rules to remember when we get to Tamaran and I keep thinking I'm just going to embarrass her in front of her court and her people and–"

" _Robin_ ," Raven interrupted sternly. She grabbed hold of one his wrists, pulling it down from his face. "Listen to me: It doesn't matter if you do or don't mess something up, if something does or doesn't go wrong," she told him. "If at the end of the day you wind up married, then the wedding is a success. _Please_ relax," she ordered, siphoning off some of his anxiety with her powers.

Robin blinked, slightly in a daze for a moment before the tension eased out of his shoulders. "Ngl," he complained. "Warn me next time you're going to do that."

"You'll thank me later," she droned, grabbing up his jacket from where it hung on the chair and handing it over to him.

-TT-

Pleasant sunlight streamed down on their heads as the Titans fluttered excitedly around the Manor's garden in anticipation. Two other teams had managed to make it for the ceremony on Earth—Titans East and Titans Oceanic, mostly, plus one Kid Flash and of course Blackfire and Wildfire. The rest would be joining them for the wedding on Tamaran, an affair that promised to be even more grandiose and magnificent.

For now, Robin was content to celebrate with his mentor and father figure and his closest friends, in the backyard of his childhood home.

A wind lifted the pale ribbon streamers, and flower petals from the blossoming trees drifted lazily on it. He tramped his feet anxiously, waiting for Speedy's signal that things were ready and the wedding could proceed.

Finally, spotting the archer from across the way, Robin straightened to attention. Speedy was giving the thumbs up. Bruce was squeezing his shoulder comfortingly.

Everything was ready.

He was going to get married.

Robin couldn't stop the prickles of energy coursing through him, igniting his heart. He could barely hear the lilting strings of the Canon as he watched Argent and Kole and Bumblee and Raven float down the aisle on the arms of their attendants.

There was a pause as the Titans scrambled to rise to their feet.

And then there she was.

She practically _glowed_ joy, the way she moved down the aisle making it clear that she couldn't keep from floating. Cyborg looked like was having a bit of trouble holding onto her, in fact, as he walked her down the aisle, but the big grin on his face told Robin that he didn't mind in the least.

Robin could feel his own grin cracking the edges of his jaw. He must've looked so stupidly happy.

Starfire giggled as she came within range, descending lightly to her feet and standing there with the sunlight caught in her red hair, a perfect picture of bridal bliss.

Robin felt so dizzyingly glad to see her that he got physically dizzy for a moment, tilting back on his feet.

Beast Boy caught him before he wobbled too much, pushing him back upright.

" _Told_ you you needed eat something," he muttered.

The pastor behind them at the altar cleared his throat, raising his book of devotional readings as the music faded out.

"Our beloved friends and family, we are gathered here today…"

The bride and groom couldn't take their eyes and smiles away from each other the whole time.


	42. RobStar Week 2020, Day 7 - Constellations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Set pre-series, not necessarily following off my other fics about their pre-Tower rooming together days but slots neatly into that headcanon continuity anyway.
> 
> Enjoy my lovelies, I really liked doing this year.

"Pass me that crossdriver, would you?" Cybrog called from underneath the panel he was assembling.

Beast Boy eagerly popped up, glad to finally be useful in the process, bouncing over to the toolkit.

"Which one's that one again?" he asked.

"Uh… red handle, top looks like an X," Cyborg explained.

Beast Boy found it and brought it over.

From behind them, Robin wandered in, a scrunched, pensive look on his face. He seemed distracted, nearly tripping over the loose pieces of computer console and the countertops that would eventually become the Tower's kitchen area.

Maneuvering to a relatively clear spot he stopped.

"You guys seen Starfire anywhere?" he asked.

"She was with Raven last I saw her," Cyborg replied, tightening a screw on the underside of the panel.

"Right. Well I was just with Raven and she hadn't seen her," Robin said.

Beast Boy stretched out the kinks in his arms. "I bet she's just gone up to get some fresh air." He tugged at his collar, airing out some body heat. "It's super stuffy in here, when are the air conditioners gonna be online?"

"Not for a while," came Cyborg's voice, slightly muffled.

Beast Boy groaned but Robin just quietly turned around, frowning towards the door.

"I'm going to go look for her," he determined, striding out of the room.

-TT-

He searched all over the half-finished Tower before finally discovering her on the rooftop. She startled a little at the sound of the door opening, glancing up from her position where she sat curled up near the edge.

"Hey," he breathed, relief pinging through him. "We were getting worried." He came towards her, noticing how the rising silver moon threw a soft white light on her skin.

"Apologies," she said, dipping her head formally. "It was uncomfortable inside, and I did not wish to be in the way."

He stopped next to her, easing himself down, legs curling up in front of him. "What are you doing out here anyway?" he asked.

She glanced aside, embarrassed. "It is silly."

"What is?" he pressed.

She turned her head up towards the sky above. Twilight was fast descending, tiny pinpricks of stars cluttering the purple sky, growing brighter as the night grew deeper.

"I was… looking at the stars." She gave a rueful smile, sad and bashful at the same time. "I had hoped, rather irrationally, that I might be able to spot Vega," she told him.

"Vega?" Robin repeated, glancing up himself. "Is that your planet's sun?"

She nodded, and then shook her head. "But I do not recognize any of these patterns," she complained. "None of these stars are familiar to me."

Robin scooted in a bit. "Well, that's something I can actually help you with," he said. He squinted up at the sky. The last glimmers of sunlight made it trickier to pick out the constellations, but at length he spotted the dipper shape that was was the body and tail of Ursa Major and from there he traced along the lines and patterns until… "There!" he said, pointing it out. "That's Vega. It's the brightest star in a constellation we call Lyra."

Starfire gasped, a sound of surprise and delight, her head jerking up. "Truly?" She strained her eyes, shielding her brow with a hand. "Where is it?" she asked.

He first guided her eyes to Polaris. "See that one bright star? That's what we call the North Star. The Earth's north axis kind of points towards it as the planet spins, so it stays basically in the same place all year." He leaned in closer, his shoulder brushing hers, tracing the line of stars that made up Draco. "Then you just follow the body of Draco and look a little bit past…"

He knew from the bright way her eyes lit up that she had spotted it. Her hands drifted up to cover her mouth as her eyes shone tremulously.

Something in his heart stuttered looking at her like that. He glanced down, lowering his hand, looking away with a slight flush.

She turned a happy smile on him. "Thank you," she said. "It is nice to know that I can see home from here. At least, in a way."

He coughed slightly, clearing his throat. "Hey uh… no… no problem," he stammered slightly.

She was looking up at the sky again, more stars appearing before her eyes as the sun disappeared and blue black overtook the heavens. "Are there stories behind the star clusters here as well?" she asked.

Perking up, Robin straightened. "Yeah, uh…" He studied the patterns, recalling to mind his Greek Mythology. "Quite a few. Which ones do you want to know?"

She put a pensive finger to her chin, considering. "Hmm." She pointed towards Vega. "Perhaps start with this… Lyra, did you call it?"

He nodded, a small grin spreading his mouth. "It represents the lyre of Orpheus, a Greek hero. It's a stringed instrument, kind of like a small harp," he explained.

She nodded, listening with rapt attention.

"And… the one you mentioned before… Draco?"

He settled in, turning up towards the night sky.

One by one, he pointed out the constellations he knew, told their stories, paused to give context and answer questions she posed about things. The stars gleamed brighter and brighter, bathing the rooftop with a soft glow, and the ocean breeze was crisp and fresh and sweet, wafting around them in gentle eddies.

It was… pleasant, to be out stargazing with her, he thought, giving a shy glance to the side at her as she made her own shapes with the stars and told him what she thought they looked like, talked about some of the constellations they had on Tamaran.

He listened, fascinated, mesmerized by her voice and the way the starlight sparkled in her eyes. Something in the back of his head nudged him about the lateness of the hour and the mountain of work that still needed to be done to get the Tower ready… but for now all he wanted to do was sit there and talk to her.

So he did, and they stayed up late into the night, lit by the soft glow of a thousand stars.


End file.
